Young men are most likely to die due to injuries
Background Injuries are the most important preventable causes of death among people aged 0–24.Risk for unintentional injuries is linked to background factors.
Methods The data consisting of injuries and suicides of people aged 0–24 years were derived from open data of causes of death statistics from Statistics Finland and from inpatient hospital care episodes documented by the Care Register for Health Care in 1998–2024. The distributions, incidence and trends were reported.
Results Annually, an average of 114 people aged 0-24 years die due to injuries in Finland, most of them are men aged 15-24 years. The most common causes of death are poisonings and transport accidents. There are also some drownings. About one third of adolescents who died accidentally were intoxicated at the time of injury. The mean annual incidence of fatal injuries has decreased between 1998 and 2024, but the gender gap is significant: men die about three times more often than women. Falls are the most common cause of injury requiring hospital care. An average of 100 people under 25 years of age commit suicide annually.
Conclusions The total number of healthcare visits due to injuries should be known and it needs to be monitored. We need effective interventions for promoting wellbeing and preventing risk behaviour that are targeted especially at young men.
Ulla Korpilahti, Kari Haikonen, Antti Impinen, Tuovi Hakulinen, Pirjo Lillsunde, Leena Koivusilta, Päivi Rautava
