Summary

The aim of this report is to provide information about injuries that lead to hospitalisation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people aged 0 to 24 years. Injury is a significant health issue for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of all ages with rates of injury for specific causes many times that of other Australians.

In the 2-year period examined (2011-12 to 2012-13), there were 18,537 Indigenous children and young people (0 to 24 years) hospitalised due to injury and poisoning. The age-standardised rate of injury was higher among Indigenous males (2,982 cases per 100,000 population) compared with Indigenous females (2,023).

Age groups and sex

Rates of injury among Indigenous children and young people tended to be high at older ages, with the highest rate of injury (3,988 cases per 100,000 population) among 18-24 year olds. Differences emerged when sex was taken into account. For Indigenous boys and young men, rates of injury tended to be high at older ages, with the highest rate of injury (4,638 cases per 100,000 population) in 18-24 year olds and the lowest in infants (1,230). For Indigenous girls and young women, the highest rate of injury also occurred in 18-24 year olds (3,305) but the lowest rate occurred in Indigenous girls aged 10-14 years (1,197).

Remoteness

Rates of injury among Indigenous children and young people generally increased with increasing remoteness of usual residence. In Remote and very remote areas over half (51%) of the children and young people hospitalised due to injury were Indigenous. The increase in rate of injury with increasing remoteness was more pronounced from about 10 years of age.

Fall injuries

The most common specific cause of injury among Indigenous children and young people was a fall (24%). Falls were the leading cause of hospitalisations for Indigenous children aged <12 months, 1-4 years, 5-9 years and 10-14 years. The largest proportion of fall hospitalisations in 1-4 and 5-9 year olds were due to falls involving playground equipment; 20% and 34%, respectively.

Assault injuries

Assault was the leading cause of hospitalisation for Indigenous people aged 15-17 and 18-24 years. The rate of assault injury among Indigenous children and young people overall (457 cases per 100,000 population) was 6 times higher than that of other Australians (79). The rate of assault injury among Indigenous boys and young men (428 cases per 100,000 population) was almost 4 times higher than that of other Australian males (118), while the rate of assault injury among Indigenous girls and young women (486), was more than 17 times higher than their other Australian counterparts (28); it was 12 times higher for 15-17 year olds and 22 times higher for Indigenous women aged 18-24 years. The hospitalisation rate for Indigenous infants aged less than 12 months was over 8 times the rate for other Australian infants.