Trends in hospitalised injury, Australia: 1999-00 to 2010-11

This report focuses on trends in hospitalisations due to injury and poisoning that occurred over the period 1999-00 to 2010-11. Information is also presented on the incidence of hospitalised injury in the financial year 2010-11. Age-standardised rates of injury cases increased from 1999-00 to 2010-11 by an average of 1% per year. Increases per year across the period were found for injuries due to: falls (2%), intentional self-harm (1), assaults (0.5%) and other unintentional injuries (1.4%). Significant decreases occurred in the rate of hospitalisations due to poisoning by pharmaceuticals (5%) and by other substances (4%), and drowning and near drowning (1%, and 3% for children 0-4). Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people rates of injury increased from 3,268 cases per 100,000 population in 2007-08 to 3,708 per 100,000 in 2010-11. Analysis of different injury types revealed increases in rates of poisoning by pharmaceuticals, falls, intentional self-harm and other unintentional injuries during this time.

Also see Injury in Australia for more recent trends data.