Falls, transport, assault and accidental poisoning are among the leading external causes of injury hospitalizations and deaths in Australia, according to new data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). An update to the report, Injury in Australia 2022–23, presents the latest injury related hospitalizations (2022–23) and deaths (2021–22), including trends over the preceding decade and local area information about four major external causes of injury. Data examined for mortality varies by year due to being updated and released one year later than hospitalizations.
"This ongoing work monitors trends in injuries as a major cause of morbidity, permanent disability and mortality with the aim of informing discussion around injury risk, prevention and management," said AIHW spokesperson Dr. Sarah Ahmed. Falls "Falls have remained the leading cause of injury-related hospitalization and fatality in Australia over the past decade and across most regions," said Dr.
Ahmed. Falls resulted in 238,055 hospitalizations in 2022–23, accounting for more than 2 in 5 (43.4%) of all injury hospitalizations.
They also accounted for more than 2 in 5 (6,378) injury deaths in 2021–22, with rates increasing due to age. Slips, trips and stumbles were the most frequent cause with 74,399 cases in 2022–23, however hospitalization patterns varied by season and the type of falls. Transport Transport was another leading cause of injury hospitalization in 2022–23, resulting in.
