Who is getting injured in Western Australia?

Injury in Western Australia ranks 4th as a cause of death:

1. Cancer
2. Cardiovascular diseases
3. Respiratory diseases
4. Injury

The rates of injury and causes of injury are different for children, young adults and older adults.

People of all ages in WA have treatment by a doctor or go to hospital as a result of injuries:

• children 0 to 15 years
• people 16 years and over
• rates of death and hospitalisation from injury are higher among young males aged 20 to 29 years than among females
• for adults 65 years and over, females have injuries that are more likely to require hospitalisation than males.
• The rates of injury from violence, falls, drowning, burns and scalds, suicide, poisoning and road trauma are higher for Aboriginal people, compared to non-Aboriginal people.

For males injury is number 1 as a cause of potential years of life lost (PYLL) and injury is number 2 for females (after cancer).