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'[',Injuries fourth leading ca usc of de~~Atl î I.t The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, February 10, 2004- By JASON MISNER The Champion A regional health department study has concluded injuries are the fourth leading cause of death among Halton residents behind only cardiovascular, cancer and respiratory disease. Lt mirrors the provincial trend. The 122-page study, tabled at the Region's health and social services committee meeting last Tuesday, found 535 Halton residents, aIl ages, died fromt an injuey sustained between 1995 and 1999. Among males, the number one cause of injury-related death was suicide, with 96. Lt was followed by 75 fall-related deaths and 71 vehicular deaths. Among females, the number one esuse of mnjury-relaied death was eelated to falîs, with 111 deaths. It was followed by 34 vehicular deaths and 33 suicide deaths. The statistics were gleaned from hospital databases and included Halton residents injured at home or ai work, or injured elsewhere in the province. The last report of its kind lin Halton was released in 1996 and looked at injuries between 1989 and 1993. Dr. Bob Nosal, Halton's medical officer of health and health depart- ment commissioner, said the most recent report wasn't mneant 10 pro- vide a detailed analysis of the deaths but 10, identify areas of con- cem. The key is to use the data to help bealth staff concentrate on where programns need to be enhanced or furtber evaluated, he said, noting a host of programns exist that attempt 10 address various tssues and needs. -We need surveillance data to have a bandle on what iv going on in the community to know where we need to, target our pro- gramns," hie said. -'There isn't that one magie bullet that cao solve (the problems)." For more information about pro- gramns, call the Region aI (905) 825-6000. In regard to suicide deaths among Halton males - they are weil below the provincial average - Dr. Nosal said regional counrcil bas recognized the importance in addressing mental health issues. For example, in this year's budg- et, a mental health staff person bas been autborized for hire 10 deal witb mental bealth issues in grades 6, 7 and 8 students. It's stili being determined wbether that person will monitor kids in Oakville achools or in north Halton. A similar position bas been in effect in Burlington for a year. As for fails amnong femnales, Dr. Nosal said there are a number of causes, but the bottom line is that "Ninety per cent of injuries are pre- dictable and preventable." The study also, Iooked at trends in bospitalizations and in emergency room visits due 10 injuries. Lt found there were 1-3,669 bospi- tai admissions bctween 1997 and 2001, resulting in $82 million in acute care hospital costs. Injuries were responsible for 39,907 visits to tbe emergency room in 2001, of wbicb maIes made up nearly two-tbirds of tbe visits. The main reasons for ER trips were due to sprains, aIrains, fractures and open wound injuries. Specifically, the study found ER visita in Milton were twice as higb as those in Oakville. Tis statistic perked tise ears of Wards 2 and 4 Regional Councillor Ron Furik. 1I would gucas, maybe, if's because we dontî have a (24-bour) walk-in clinic,- be said in an inter- view, noting Dr. Nosal will get him the information about the ER visits rate. "Fm cunious.- As for accidents involving Milton and Halton Hulis males, wbere the number of bospitaliza- tions was bigber than the provin- cial average between 1997 and 2001, he would also like to know more about tbis. Injuries cost the Canadian bealtb-care systemn more irant $4.2 billion a year, the bealtb report noted. Jaston Misner con be reached at jmisner@milboncanadianchampi- on.comi.