Causes of hospital-onset injuries and injury types
Causes of injury
Falls during an admitted episode of care were the most common cause of hospital-onset injury. In 2024–25, falls accounted for 51% of all hospital-onset injuries (Figure 8). This proportion was similar for each year.
The external cause group Complications of surgical and medical care (Y40-Y84), which includes events like medication errors and surgical mishaps, were responsible for 11% of hospital-onset injuries that were assigned an injury type outside of the diagnosis group Complications of surgical and medical care (T80-T88). While T80-T88 specifically covers complications of care such as device-related issues or adverse effects of infusions, some adverse events – like unintentional rib fractures during CPR – may be recorded outside this range.
Figure 8: Hospital-onset injuries by external cause, 2024–25
Horizontal bar chart showing percentage distribution of hospital-onset injury diagnoses by external cause chapter. Falls account for the highest percentage at 51%, followed by not reported/unknown at 12%, and complications of care at 11%, with remaining causes each below 10%.
| Cause | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Falls | 51% |
| Not reported/unknown | 12% |
| Complications of care | 11% |
| Other unintentional causes | 7% |
| Contact with objects | 6% |
| Intentional self-harm | 3% |
| Choking | 3% |
| Exposure to or contact with allergens - non animal | 2% |
| Accidental poisoning | 1% |
| Assault | 1% |
| Contact with heat and hot substances | 1% |
| Undetermined intent | 1% |
| Overexertion | 1% |
| All other | 1% |
- Data are presented as a percentage of all hospital-onset injury diagnoses per year. Not reported/unknown includes injuries where there was either no external cause code assigned or where an injury diagnosis did not match to a code.
- Hospital-onset injuries exclude diagnosis codes T80-T88 Complications of surgical and medical care and Y90-Y98 Sequelae of injuries, of poisoning and of other external causes.
- Analysis excludes care types 7.3, 9, 10, and separations for same day chemotherapy or haemodialysis.
- 'All other' includes Contact with living things (0.5%), Forces of nature (0.1%), Contact with smoke, fire, flames (0.1%), Transport (0.1%), Electricity and air pressure (0.04%), Supplementary factors (0.01%).
Downloadable data tables are available on Data. See Table S16.
Source:
AIHW analysis of the National Hospital Morbidity Database
|
Data source overview
Types of injury
Open wounds were the most common injuries that occurred during a period of hospitalisation for each year (mostly due to falls). In 2024–25, open wounds accounted for 24% of hospital-onset injuries, followed by other unspecified injuries (22%) and superficial injuries (21%) (Figure 9).
Figure 9: Hospital-onset injuries by injury type, 2024–25
Horizontal bar chart showing types of injuries among admitted patients in 2024-25, with open wounds (24%), other unspecified injuries (22%) and superficial injuries (21%) as most common. Chart includes 14 injury categories with values ranging from 0.01 to 24, highlighting prevalence differences across injury types.
| Injury type | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Open wound | 24% |
| Other unspecified | 22% |
| Superficial injury | 21% |
| Fracture | 7% |
| Foreign object (through orifice) | 6% |
| Other specified and/or multiple injuries | 4% |
| Internal organs | 4% |
| Poisoning or toxic effect | 3% |
| Burn | 2% |
| Intracranial injury | 2% |
| Soft-tissue injury | 2% |
| All other | 2% |
- Data are presented as a percentage of all hospital-onset injury diagnoses per year.
- Hospital-onset injuries exclude diagnosis codes T80-T88 Complications of surgical and medical care and Y90-Y98 Sequelae of injuries, of poisoning and of other external causes.
- Analysis excludes care types 7.3, 9, 10, and separations for same day chemotherapy or haemodialysis.
- ‘Other unspecified’ includes injuries to body parts where the nature of the injury is not specified.
- ‘All other' includes Nerve injury (0.9%), Blood vessels (0.9%), Dislocation (0.7%), Crushing injury (0.01%) and Amputation (0.01%).
Downloadable data tables are available on Data. See Table S17.
Source:
AIHW analysis of the National Hospital Morbidity Database
|
Data source overview