Injuries among working-age people
Unintentional injuries are the fourth most common cause of death for working-age people in Finland and the cause of a large number of hospital stays. In this context, working-age people are those aged between 25 and 64.
Unemployment, mental health and substance abuse problems, and the care needs of family and friends all increase the risk of injuries. Other challenging life situations also increase susceptibility to injuries because of the mental and physical strain they cause. Inequality also increases the risk of injuries, especially for those with lower levels of education and income.
Accidents occur everywhere, including at workplaces and during hobby activities, but most of them occur at home and in leisure time.
Safely at All Ages: Programme for the Prevention of Home and Leisure Injuries 2021–2030 highlights falls, poisonings, road traffic accidents, drowning, fire safety, and safety promotion by family and friends as key areas for consideration in injury prevention among working-age people. The programme sets objectives for injury prevention as well as 39 specific measures to prevent accidents among working-age people.
Contents of this page:
- Accidental falls
- Poisonings
- Road traffic accidents
- Drowning
- Fire safety
- Family and friends as safety promoters
Accidental falls
Accidental falls from the same level or from height are one of the most common cause of injuries requiring hospital care among people of working age. They are the fourth most common cause of death and the most common cause of inpatient care. Among working-age people, falls are the cause of around 140 deaths and nearly 14,000 hospitalisations every year. The number of deaths starts to rise around the age of 45 and continues to grow steadily with age.
The majority of work travel accidents involving slipping, falling and tripping over. Reduced functional capacity, due to factors such as illness, makes people susceptible to falls. In addition, alcohol use is linked to about half of the fall fatalities among working-age people.
Falls among working-age people can be prevented by physical activity that strengthens balance and muscle fitness as well as a safe living environment and traffic environment. The role of health and social welfare services is also important, especially when the risk factors are associated with a person's disability, illness, medication or substance abuse. The risk of falling can be assessed on an individual basis.
Poisonings
Cases of poisoning among working-age people mostly result from alcohol, drugs or medicines, and often from a combination of these. The majority of accidental poisonings are cases of polysubstance poisoning. In these cases, the poisoned person has used several different substances at the same time, such as medicines, alcohol and/or drugs.
Every year, approximately 200 people of working age die from alcohol poisoning and 170 from other accidental poisonings. Each year, some 500 people of working age need hospital care due to poisoning. The risk group for accidental poisonings includes especially men aged 40 to 59 and women aged 50 and 59 who binge drink either weekly or several times a month. In addition, previous drug overdose experiences increase the risk of a fatal overdose.
In the prevention of poisonings, it is important to target preventive measures at risk groups. Preventive action includes substance abuse work and campaigns, social welfare and health care measures, psychiatric consultation and increasing awareness of accidental poisonings. The prevention of accidental poisonings must be coordinated with the promotion of mental health and the prevention of suicides.
Road traffic accidents
More than half of road traffic fatalities and injuries involve people of working age, most of whom are passenger car users. In addition to these, cyclists and motorcyclists are also among the largest groups whose injuries require inpatient care.
In about a quarter of fatal road traffic accidents, the victim has been under the influence of alcohol. The rising trend in drug use and polydrug use is also reflected in the monitoring of drunken driving by the police. Furthermore, the role of driver health problems in serious road traffic accidents has also increased.
Road traffic accidents among people of working age are prevented by
- complying with the traffic rules
- avoiding unnecessary risks
- using a helmet and seat belt
- using foresight when driving
- avoiding the use of means of communication while driving
- favouring walking and cycling
- being intoxicant-free when in traffic
- paying attention to driving health and alertness
- improving the road network for light traffic.
The campaigns and other activities of different NGOs offer valuable means of supporting the promotion of road safety.
Drowning
Most cases of drowning among working-age people take place in natural waters when the person is either spending time in the water or falls into the water. In Finland, alcohol is the most important factor contributing towards drowning deaths.
Drowning while in water traffic often occurs in the summer in situations where the victim is travelling in a small boat during their free time and then falls overboard. Victims of drowning in water traffic are usually middle-aged men who have consumed alcohol.
Drownings that result from falling through ice usually occur in situations where the victim was walking or driving a snowmobile on the ice. Such cases are most common in December and April, when the ice cover is weak. The typical victim is a man aged between 50 and 70.
Drowning can be prevented by investing in swimming skills and complying with water safety rules. People moving around on water must make a realistic assessment of their own functional capacity, check the environment and weather conditions, avoid the use of intoxicants and use lifejackets.
Fire safety
The majority of fire fatalities and injuries are caused by fires in residential buildings, and deaths are normally caused by the inhalation of combustion gases.
Among the working-age population, the risk of fire fatalities is higher among smokers, people with substance abuse and mental health problems, people with memory disorders and socio-economically disadvantaged people. Fire fatalities have decreased overall due to the introduction of self-extinguishing cigarettes, the use of safety technology and improved structural security.
Methods for promoting fire safety include influencing people's activities and developing their fire safety competence, using safety technology such as fire alarms, and ensuring structural safety. As regards smoking, fire safety among risk groups can be improved by reducing smoking, using safe smoking locations and monitoring smoking.
Fire safety information materials for immigrants (SPEK)
Safety cards (SPEK)
Family and friends as safety promoters
Family and friends are key actors in ensuring everyday safety. There is no information available in Finland on unintentional injuries involving informal carers, even though those receiving informal care are characterised by reduced functional capacity.
Reduced functional capacity has been identified as a risk factor for various types of injuries, including falls, suffocation and drowning. Due to the use of multiple medicines, receivers of informal care also have an increased risk of poisoning.
Working-age informal carers need information, training and support in such areas as safe use of leisure time. This helps them maintain their own safety and ability to care for their relatives. Reconciling informal care and working life may be a particular challenge for informal carers of working age.
References
Korpilahti et al. (ed.) Safely at All Ages: Programme for the Prevention of Home and Leisure Injuries 2021–2030 and cost report. Publications of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health 2020:30.
