Implementation

Implementation of the strategy is intended to move the sports injury data landscape towards the longer-term outcomes stated in the vision (p.3). The key outputs from the strategy are:

  • A Framework to guide data collection
  • An updated sports injury data dictionary
  • Methods development
  • New and improved data sources
  • Data collation into the national Asset
  • Analyses and publication of data and data insights.

The above outputs will be dependent on the following activities:

  • Convening data expert groups
  • Ongoing stakeholder consultation and feedback
  • Provision of advice and support by the AIHW to data collectors
  • AIHW liaising with other government bodies for advice or data
  • Strong collaborations between the AIHW and data providers
  • Secure sharing of data to contribute to the data Asset
  • Consultation with data suppliers and potential data users on data analyses and interpretation.

Successful implementation of the strategy will:

  • provide greater standardised data collection, centrally available in the Asset
  • enable reporting of aggregate data by different sports, geographical areas, age groups, sexes, types of injuries, causes and, in some cases, whether injury prevention equipment or programs were in use
  • report in a way that is accessible and useful to stakeholders
  • enable more accurate economic analyses on the costs and benefits of sports participation to the health system
  • provide the evidence base for injury and injury prevention research
  • increase participation secondary to the implementation of successful injury prevention programs leading to a reduction in injury, and maintaining sport participation
  • increase participation by providing evidence on the actual risks and types of injury in community sport to allow informed decision-making
  • decrease costs to the health system, individuals, out-of-pocket expenses, insurers and employers by reducing injuries and increasing health and wellbeing.
  • benefit sports stakeholders through lower insurance costs and improved participation
  • benefit high performance sport through a larger talent pool of persons less affected by injury.