Causes of injury death and its trend in old population in Ningbo in Zhejiang province,2002-2010

Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of injury death and its incidence trend in people aged ＞60 years in Ningbo and provide scientific evidence for the prevention and control of injury in old population. Methods Descriptive epidemiological analysis was conducted on the death data in old population in Ningbo from 2002 to 2010. Results The average mortality of injury during this period was 191.69/lakh and the standardized mortality was 172.87/lakh. The mortality of injury increased with age. Falling down was the leading cause of injury death among the elderly with the mortality of 63.10/lakh. The injury mortalities in the elderly were higher in rural area (194.96/lakh) than in urban area (186.14/lakh) and in females (202.40/lakh) than in males (181.07/lakh).The first four leading causes of injury death were falling down, traffic accident, drowning and suicide in urban area and falling down, traffic accident, suicide and drowning in rural area. The first four leading causes of injury death were same for both males and females, but the ranks were different. Conclusion Injury has become an important problem affecting the health and life of the elderly in Ningbo, the prevention and control of injury should be strengthened in this population.