International comparative analysis of injury mortality. Findings from the ICE on injury statistics. International Collaborative Effort on Injury Statistics.

Abstract

Objective: This report investigates international differences in injury mortality rates among 11 of the countries participating in the International Collaborative Effort on Injury Statistics.

Methods: The cause, intent, and age-specific injury mortality rates are calculated and presented from Australia, Canada, Denmark, England & Wales, France, Israel, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Norway, Scotland, and the United States. Data are presented by cause (or mechanism) and intent (or manner of death) according to the matrix framework for presenting injury mortality statistics published in August 1997. The benefits of this matrix approach to investigating injury mortality are explained with numerous examples.

Results: Injury death rates are higher in France and Denmark and lower in England & Wales, Israel, and The Netherlands than elsewhere. New Zealand, the United States, and Norway had similar average annual injury death rates of 56-57 per 100,000 population. As an example of the benefit of presenting data in the matrix framework, the total poisoning death rate in Denmark for all categories of intent (13 per 100,000) is about twice the rate in the United States. Unintentional poisoning death rates, however, are similar in the United States and Denmark (about 4 per 100,000) and are higher than elsewhere. However, the suicide poisoning death rate in Denmark is 3 times the rate in the United States.

Conclusion: Using these results, the ICE on Injury will be investigating death registration practices in each of the countries to better understand international variation in injury mortality due to reporting or registration procedures.