Communities living injury free
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Injuries
An injury happens when an event (such as a car crash) causes a person (or people) to suffer physically or mentally because of the event.
Injuries can be deliberate (eg assault, suicide) or unintentional (eg falls). This information focuses on unintentional injuries.
Common injuries are:
- falls
- road crashes - for drivers, passengers, cyclists and pedestrians
- drowning or near-drowning
- burns - from fire or hot liquids
- cutting or piercing eg from a knife or power tool
Anyone can be injured. Some groups at higher risk of being injured are:
- children (falls, drowning, road crashes)
- older people (falls)
- men (road crashes, falls, drowning)
Injuries can happen anywhere, but mostly:
- at home
- on the road
- at school
- at work
- at play eg sport, cycling, in the playground
Why injury is an issue
Injury is an issue for all of us who live, work and play in Auckland city. Consider:
- injuries are expensive to treat. In the year July 2004-June 2005, Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) paid district health boards $272,120,000 to
treat people with injuries. In the same year, $1,398,117,000 was paid out to claimants
- the high human cost of injuries. For children, injuries can mean getting behind with school work, or missing out on participating in hobbies and other
activities. For adults, an injury to themselves or a child can mean time off work or even having to give up or change their job. For older people injuries
can be particularly difficult. They can reduce mobility and confidence, and lead to social isolation
- if injuries can be reduced, this frees up hospital resources to treat other types of illness.
