The National Institute for Prevention and Health Education (Inpes) and the Institute for Health Surveillance (InVS) analyzed the data from the latest Inpes 2010 Health Barometer concerning everyday life accidents. Available on the sites of the two establishments since Tuesday, October 8, the results of this analysis highlight an increase in the frequency of these accidents (domestic, sports and leisure accidents and accidents at school) over the past twelve months. between 2005 and 2010, in France. “Overall, nearly 10% of French people are affected by accidents of any kind,” note the experts from Inpes and InVS.
About 20,000 people die each year in France following an accident in everyday life. The good news is that the proportion of accidents having significant consequences for the victim is down sharply, from 43% in 2005 to 34% in 2010. Another finding is that men are twice as concerned (4%) by these accidents than women (2%), especially those related to sport.
The ineps and the InVS point out that certain factors can increase the risk of an accident occurring, such as the use of alcohol, cannabis or even, lack of sleep. “Among 15-64 year olds, there are twice as many accidents among people who have smoked cannabis in the last twelve months. Similarly, 16% of individuals who have experienced at least one intoxication during the year have had a accident compared to 9% for those not declaring drunkenness 14% of French people who sleep less than 6 hours a night have had an accident compared to 10% for the heaviest sleepers People in this age group with a disability are more often involved in accidents than the others: 18% against 10%.
Among other things, the consequences of falls tend to worsen with age. These concern 67% of accidents that take place inside the home among 75-85 year olds, a population particularly affected by accidents in everyday life. In order to give some advice on housing layout and good habits, Inpes has made available to Internet users the brochure “Accidents of everyday life: how to arrange your house to avoid falls?” downloadable on www.inpes.sante.fr.
