Alcohol involved in one in three accidental deaths
Overall accidental death rate in Finland low by international comparison
|
|
More than 3,000 accidental deaths occur in Finland each year, and alcohol is involved in about 1,000 of them.
In 2006, nearly half of all alcohol-related accidental deaths involved alcohol poisoning. Other causes of death involving intoxication include falls and drownings.
The figures are from a new book, Tapaturmat Suomessa (“Accidents in Finland”), drawn up under the guidance of the National Institute for Health and Welfare.
According to the book, accidental death rates in Finland are among the lowest in the world.
However, about 800,000 accidents take place in Finland each year leading to a physical injury.
While the number of deaths in industrial accidents and traffic accidents has declined over the past 20 years, the number of people dying accidentally at home or during their free time has increased quite appreciably.
In 1986, for example, the figure in this area was a little over 1,500, but it is now around 2,700.
Accidents are the fourth most common cause of death among Finns.
Non-lethal accidents have also increased at home and during free time.
One of the most significant factors increasing the number of accidental deaths is the increase in the use of alcohol, says Anne Lounamaa of THL.
According to Lounamaa, it has been estimated in some reports that up to one in four people receiving emergency care have alcohol in their blood.
Other factors leading to an increase in accidents is the increased average age of the population, and sports injuries among young people.
Injuries connected with sports have increased by approximately 40 per cent in the last two decades.
Various types of falls are the most common cause of accidental death.
Falls leading to injury are expected to increase as the population grows older. The book anticipates that hospitalisations due to falls could double if nothing is done.
“Now we should affect an improvement in the muscular tone of those at risk of falling, and look into questions of the environment and medication”, Lounamaa says. She says that such measures have been successful in reducing the risk of falls.
Men account for about two thirds of all accidental deaths. Men are also more likely to suffer accidents leading to injury.
Helsingin Sanomat
|
| 25.3.2009 - TODAY |
 Alcohol involved in one in three accidental deaths |
|
