The Brain Injury Association of Canada endorses the Vancouver Charter on Skiing Safety
According to The Economic Burden of Injury in Canada 2009 report, all winter activities accounted for over 70,000 unintentional injuries in Canada with nearly 1,400 resulting in partial and permanent disability. These serious injuries total $400 million dollars in direct and indirect costs to the health care system, which combined are contributing to the social and economic burden of unintentional injuries.
In Canada, it is estimated that 87.5% of skiing and snowboarding deaths have been caused by a head injury. Traumatic brain injury, which has increased in recent years, has accounted for up to 88% of all fatalities at ski resorts. Children account for 67% of all ski related deaths. Research has demonstrated that ski and snowboard helmets are effective at preventing serious head injuries. It is estimated that nearly 50% of all skiing and snowboarding head injuries could be prevented by simply wearing a helmet.
While the greatest burden of injury is borne by those whose health, wellbeing, and life potential are directly diminished or destroyed by injury, economic burden studies enables us to calculate the broader societal burden injury imposes, with respect to cost pressures on our health care system and foregone human potential in terms of years of life lost and diminished labour market productivity and earnings.
In the period of 1995-2004, Canada’s injury death rate decreased by 10.9%. With growing government engagement and support for effective injury prevention programming, it should be possible to make even more significant gains in the decade ahead.
Link to the Vancouver Charter on Skiing Safety:
http://www.safekidscanada.ca/SKCPublicPolicyAdvocacy/custom/VancouverCharter.pdf
Tags: acquired brain injury, children and head injuries, helmets, serious head injuries, ski resorts, skiing and snowboarding deaths caused by a head injury, skiing fatalities, traumatic brain injury, winter activities