SUMMARY STATISTICS
CHIRPP DATABASE
For the year 1999

---

Download the complete publication: SUMMARY STATISTICS CHIRPP DATABASE For the year 1999 (51 KB) in PDF Format Only (How to download PDF documents)

 

WHAT IS CHIRPP?

CHIRPP is a computerized information system that collects and analyzes data on injuries to people (mainly children) who are seen at the emergency rooms of the ten children's hospitals and six general hospitals in Canada. Data collection began in April 1990 at the children's hospitals and between 1991 and 1994 in the general hospitals. CHIRPP is a program of the Injury Section of the Health Surveillance & Epidemiology Division, Centre for Healthy Human Development, Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), Health Canada.

LIMITATIONS OF CHIRPP DATA

This summary is created with information from the database of the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP). It is important to note that the injuries described herein do not represent all injuries in Canada - only those seen at the emergency departments of the sixteen hospitals in the CHIRPP network. Since the bulk of CHIRPP data comes from children's hospitals located in urban areas, the following groups are under-represented in the data: older adolescents and adults seen at general hospitals, native people, and people living in rural areas.

SUGGESTED REFERENCE AND REPORTING INFORMATION

This summary and data from it may be copied and circulated freely, provided that the source is acknowledged. The following citation is recommended:

Injury data were obtained from the database of the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP), Health Canada.

If data from this summary are included in any other document or publication, it should be noted, where appropriate, that the information comes from sixteen hospitals (ten children's and six general) across Canada.

For additional information on the CHIRPP program, please contact the Injury Section, Health Surveillance & Epidemiology Division, Public Health Agency of Canada, by phone at (613) 941-9918 or by FAX at (613) 941-9927.

INDEX OF TABLES

Note: These tables are designed to be printed on 8 1/2" by 11" paper in landscape orientation.

AGE AND SEX DISTRIBUTION OF INJURED PERSONS
Note: This distribution only includes the 10 pediatric and 6 general hospitals that participate in CHIRPP. For this reason, older adolescents and adults are under-represented.

WHERE THE INJURY OCCURRED (LOCATION)
          This variable provides a general description of the place where the person was when the injury occurred.

WHERE THE INJURY OCCURRED (AREA)
          This variable indicates the specific part of the place where the person was when the injury occurred.

Note: In many records either a general location or a specific area is identified.

INCIDENT TYPE (INJURY GROUP)
          This variable is used to classify injuries involving motor vehicles.

WHAT WENT WRONG (BREAKDOWN EVENT)
          This variable describes how things went wrong and led to the injury.

MECHANISM OF INJURY
          This variable describes the type of energy transfer or lack of vital substance that caused the injury.

ACTIVITY (CONTEXT)
          This variable describes the activity of the person at the time of injury.

SAFETY EQUIPMENT OR DEVICES USED
          This variable is used to indicate all safety equipment in use (or engaged) when the injury occurred.
          This variable is only relevant in a fraction of the injury events.

Note: As many as three safety devices may be listed on each patient's record. For this reason, the sum of safety devices in each age group exceeds the number of patients in that age group.

TREATMENT PROVIDED IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
          This variable indicates how a person was treated (care received) while at the hospital emergency department. This variable is often used as an indicator of the severity of the injury.

Note: Fatalities include patients who were dead on arrival or who died in the emergency department. The database does not include records on people who died and were not taken to the hospital or those who died after admission.

NATURE OF INJURY
          This variable indicates the type of injury suffered by the injured person.

Note: As many as three injuries may be listed on each patient's record. For this reason, the sum of injuries in each age group exceeds the number of patients in that age group.

BODY PART INJURED
          This variable indicates the body part affected by the injury.

Note: As many as three body parts may be listed on each patient's record. For this reason, the sum of body parts in each age group exceeds the number of patients in that age group.