Head and Spinal Cord Injuries 2006-2008 - Alberta Centre for Injury ...

Head and Spinal Cord Injury
Hospital Admissions
in Alberta
2006-2008

Head Injuries – Alberta, 2006-2008
A head injury can be the result of trauma such as a blow to the head or penetration of the skull, or it can be from disease/
infection, lack of oxygen to the brain or substance abuse. The brain is the body’s control centre and any damage can cause serious
problems. These may include problems with memory, behavioural or personality changes, movement disorder, paralysis,
change in vision, loss of hearing, persistent headaches or seizures, anger and impulse control problems, loss of motor function,
impaired speech, loss of consciousness and death. The head injury data described in this report is trauma related.
• Over the 3 year period there were on average 2,227 hospital admissions each year with a traumatic head injury.
• The head injury hospital admission rates remained consistent over the 3 year period.
• Males had twice as many head injury hospital admissions as females.
• Males accounted for 70 per cent of the admissions with an average of 1,565 admissions each year.
• Falls were the leading cause of traumatic head injuries and accounted for 40 per cent of the admissions with an average of
892 admissions each year.
− For males, falls accounted for 35 per cent of the head injury admissions with an average of 555 admissions each
year.
− For females, falls accounted for 50 per cent of the head injury admissions with an average of 337 admissions each
year.
• Motor vehicle collisions were the second leading cause of head injury admissions and accounted for 27 per cent with an
average of 602 admissions each year.
− For males, motor vehicle collisions accounted for 26 per cent of the head injury admissions with an average of 425
admissions each year.
− For females, motor vehicle collisions accounted for 27 per cent of the head injury admissions with an average of
177 admissions each year.
Head Injury Hospital Admission Rate, Alberta, 2006-2008
Albertans between the ages of 15 and 24 years had the highest number of admissions with an average of 448 admissions each
year. Seniors older than 75 years of age had the highest hospital admission rates. Residents 75 to 84 years of age had a rate of
185.725 admissions per 100,000 population and those 85 years of age and older had a rate of 300.28 admissions per 100,000
population.
350.00
300.00
250.00
Rate per 100,000 population
200.00
150.00
100.00
50.00
0.00

Spinal Cord Injuries – Alberta, 2006-2008
The spinal cord is a major part of the central nervous system. It acts like a telephone cable, sending messages from the brain to
the body and carrying signals from the body back to the brain. The spinal cord is protected by a membrane, fluid and 33 vertebrae
that make up the spinal column. This important organ, only about the width of your baby finger, is highly susceptible to
damage caused by severing, compression, stretching, decreased oxygen or exposure to blood from outside the spinal column.
• Over the 3 year period there were on average 146 spinal cord injury hospital admissions each year.
• There has been an 15 per cent increase in cord injury hospital admission crude rates over the 3 year reporting period.
• Males admitted to hospital with a spinal cord injury outnumbered females almost 4 to 1.
• Males accounted for 80 per cent of the spinal cord injury admissions with an average of 117 admissions each year.
• Overall, falls were the leading cause of spinal cord injury hospital admissions and accounted for 37 per cent of the admissions
with an average of 53 admissions each year. There has been an 43 per cent increase in the number of fall related
spinal cord injury from 46 admissions in 2006 to 66 admissions in 2008.
− For males, falls were the leading cause of spinal cord injury hospital admissions and accounted for 37 per cent of
the admissions with an average of 43 admissions each year.
− For females, falls were the second leading cause of spinal cord injury hospital admissions and accounted for 34 per
cent of the admissions with an average of 10 admissions each year.
• Overall, motor vehicle collisions were the second leading cause of spinal cord injury hospital admissions and accounted for
33 per cent of the admissions with an average of 48 admissions each year.
− For males, motor vehicle collisions were the second leading cause of spinal cord injury hospital admissions and
accounted for 31 per cent with an average of 36 admissions each year.
− For females, motor vehicle collisions were the leading cause of spinal cord injury hospital admissions and accounted
for 41 per cent of the admissions with an average of 12 admissions each year.
Spinal Cord Injury Hospital Admission Rate, Alberta, 2006-2008
Albertans between 15 and 24 years of age had the highest number of spinal cord injury admissions with an average of 24 admissions
each year. However, seniors between 75 and 84 years of age had the highest hospital admission rate with a rate of
5.87 admissions per 100,000 population.
16.00
14.00
12.00
Rate per 100,000 population
10.00
8.00
6.00
4.00
2.00
0.00
-2.00

Other Facts 1
• 50 per cent of all deaths from injury are from brain injuries
• 30 per cent of all traumatic brain injuries are sustained by children and youth.
• Each severe brain injury costs our medical system over $400,000 at the time of injury. Costs remain approximately the same
each year following the incident due to indirect expenses and follow-up treatment.
• Bike helmets can prevent up to 88 per cent of brain injuries when used properly.
• It is estimated that each dollar invested in a helmet saves $30 in social costs.
Costs 2
In Canada, 2000-2001
• Head injuries accounted for $151 million in direct costs (hospital care, physician care and drug expenses).
• Spinal cord injuries accounted for $61 million in hospital care costs.
1
ThinkFirst Foundation of Canada. Brain Injury Fact Sheet. [cited 2010 May 25]. Available from: http://www.thinkfirst.ca/
safetyinfo.aspx.
2
Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), The burden of neurological diseases, disorders, and injuries in Canada, (Ottawa:
CIHI, 2007). [cited 2008 June 25]. Available from: http://secure.cihi.ca/cihiweb/dispPage.jsp?cw_page=AR_1689_E.
The Alberta Centre for Injury Control & Research (ACICR) is committed to advancing injury control in Alberta by promoting stakeholder
collaboration, capacity building and evidence-based practice in the field of injury control and research.
ACICR believes in a population health perspective, where strategies will enhance the health and well-being of the overall population.
ACICR provides leadership, initiative, influence, coordination and support for injury-related policies, education, information services,
and research across the province in order that stakeholders can fulfill their mandates of injury control.
ACICR is a provincial centre within the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta and receives its core funding from Alberta
Health and Wellness.
Should you require additional information please contact:
The Alberta Centre for Injury Control & Research
School of Public Health
University of Alberta
4075 RTF, 8308 – 114 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1
Phone: 780-492-6019
Fax: 780-492-7154
Website: www.acicr.ualberta.ca
Email: acicr@ualberta.ca
Suggested citation: Alberta Centre for Injury Control & Research. Head and Spinal Cord Injury Hospital Admissions, Alberta, 2006-
2008. Edmonton: Alberta Centre for Injury Control & Research; 2010.
Source: Canadian Institute for Health Information, Trauma E-reports. Head and Spinal Cord Injuries-Cause of Injury by Age, Sex,
Discharge Status, and Province/Territory. [accessed 2010 May 25].
For ICD-10CA code includes of head and spinal cord injuries please go to the CIHI website, Trauma E-Reports Technical Notes,
NTR MDS Definition of Head and Spinal Cord Injuries UID. Available from: https://eservices.cihi.ca/NTR_MDS/
pub_login_ntr_mds_Tech_Meth_Notes_e.jsp?page=techNotes.