Preventable injuries pose growing burden on Canada healthcare system, warns GlobalData

Injuries impose a significant emotional, physical, and economic burden on Canada. Nearly 4.8 million trauma and 58,000 burn injuries are expected in 2024, reflecting a 2 per cent annual increase since 2018. These and other preventable injuries account for a large proportion of wound care spending in Canada – resources that could be redirected to improve mental health services, chronic disease management, and other preventive health programs, says GlobalData.

Ashley Clarke, Senior Medical Analyst at GlobalData, states, “Injury cases and healthcare costs continue to rise, resulting in a growing economic burden from preventable injuries, and extending beyond medical expenses to lost productivity and increased insurance premiums. Preventable injuries are not only economically costly, but in cases with loss of life or long-term disabilities, also severely affects individuals, families, and communities emotionally.”

Parachute, Canada’s national charity dedicated to injury prevention, estimated the economic cost of injury to be $29.4 billion in 2018, with falls alone accounting for $10.3 billion. Reallocating even a fraction of this annual spend to other areas of healthcare could have a transformative impact.

GlobalData highlights that trauma and burn injuries account for 40 per cent of the total treated cases in key wound care medical device markets in Canada, compared to 23 per cent globally, and just 7 per cent in the US. This disparity indicates that a staggeringly large proportion of healthcare resources are dedicated to preventable injuries, and there is significant potential for reallocating funds to other critical areas of patient care.

“To effectively reduce the prevalence of preventable injuries, strategies should focus on public education, regulatory changes, and community-based interventions. Addressing the root causes of these injuries by altering behaviours and environments to reduce injury risks is necessary to see any substantial decline,” adds Clarke.

Initiatives such as Parachute’s National Injury Prevention Day (NIPD), occurring on July 5 2024, are crucial in raising awareness and advocating for injury prevention. Programs targeting fall prevention among seniors, road safety campaigns, and measures to reduce opioid-related poisonings are also essential. Effective awareness campaigns can influence policy and regulation, leading to stricter enforcement of safety standards and the development of more robust frameworks to protect individuals from harm.

Clarke concludes, “By implementing comprehensive educational campaigns and reinforcing safety regulations, Canada can mitigate the human and economic toll of preventable injuries, ultimately enhancing public health. For example, increased funding for mental health services could address rising rates of suicide and self-harm, which are among the leading causes of injury-related deaths. These changes promise not only to save lives but also to create a more efficient and effective healthcare system.”