Falls are the leading cause of injury hospitalization and the second leading cause of injury death in the Winnipeg Health Region.
Each year in Winnipeg approximately 54 people die and 25,488 people are hospitalized due to falls. Falls also have the longest average hospital length of stay among all injuries with 33.3 days.
Most falls-related deaths and hospitalizations occur in people over the age of 74 years, but falls also are the most common reason infants, children under 15 years of age and adults over 34 years of age are admitted to hospital for an injury. Hospitalizations due to falls are mainly due to:
- Toddlers between the ages of 1-4 falling from one level to the other (i.e. from a bed or chair to the floor),
- Children aged 5-9 years falling from playground equipment and
- Adults slipping or tripping on the same level.
WRHA (2007). Injury Data Report. WRHA: Winnipeg.
