Home > Statistics > Causes of death > 2009 > Annual review > Injuries caused by falls the most common reason for fatal accidents

Published: 22 February 2011

Injuries caused by falls the most common reason for fatal accidents

Accidental falls were the most common accidents leading to death for both men and women. A total of 1,188 persons died in such accidents, 57 per cent of whom were men. Over one third of men's fatal accidents and over one half of women's were caused by accidental falls.

Accidents caused around six per cent of all deaths in 2009. In 2009, accidents were the cause of the death of 2,903 persons, of whom 1,986 were men and 917 women.

Fatal accidents among men aged 65 or over in 2009

The majority of the accidental falls leading to death, i.e. 80 per cent, occurred to persons aged 65 or over. Accidental falls were among them the biggest causes of fatal accidents. Among women, aged 65 or over, three quarters of fatal accidents were caused by falls and stumbles and among men two thirds.

Fatal accidents among women aged 65 or over in 2009

A total of 1,390 persons aged 65 or over died in accidents, 762 men and 628 women. After accidental falls the most fatal accidents occurred to men aged 65 or over in transportation and drowning accidents and to women in transportation and poisoning by drugs.

In all, a total of 49,904 persons died in 2009, of whom 25,152 were men and 24,752 women. The longer life expectancy is visible in the change in the age distribution of deaths: in 1989 still around 9,000, or 18 per cent, died at the age of 85 or over, while in 2009 the corresponding figure was 15,881, i.e. 32 per cent.

The data concerning causes of death for 2009 were first released in December 2010. This publication is a more extensive review of the previous release.

Source: Causes of death, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Irmeli Penttilä (09) 1734 3253, Helena Korpi (09) 1734 3605, Ulla Arkkio (09) 1734 3757, kuolemansyyt@stat.fi

Director in charge: Jari Tarkoma

Publication in pdf-format (562.6 kB)

Reviews

• Foreword (22.2.2011)
• 1. Causes of death in 2009 (22.2.2011)
• 2. Fatal accidents and violence (22.2.2011)
• 3. Infant mortality and maternal mortality (22.2.2011)
• 4. Accident, alcohol and dementia mortality by region in 2009 (22.2.2011)

Tables

Tables in databases

Pick the data you need into tables, view the data as graphs, or download the data for your use.

• Database tables and their variables
• Archived tables

Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1a. Deaths by underlying cause of death (72-group classification) and by age in 2009, both sexes (22.2.2011)
• Appendix table 1b. Deaths by underlying cause of death (72-group classification) and by age in 2009, men (22.2.2011)
• Appendix table 1c. Deaths by underlying cause of death (72-group classification) and by age in 2009, women (22.2.2011)
• Appendix table 2a. Mortality among persons aged 15 to 64 from cancer, ischaemic heart diseases, alcohol-related causes, suicides and accidents by region in 2009 1) (22.2.2011)
• Appendix table 2b. Mortality among persons aged 15 to 64 from cancer, ischaemic heart diseases, alcohol-related causes, suicides and accidents by region in 2009, men 1) (22.2.2011)
• Appendix table 2c. Mortality among persons aged 15 to 64 from cancer, ischaemic heart diseases, alcohol-related causes, suicides and accidents by region in 2009, women 1) (22.2.2011)
• Appendix table 3a. Mortality among persons aged 65 or over from dementia, ischaemic heart diseases, alcohol-related causes, suicides and accidents by region in 2009, both sexes 1) (22.2.2011)
• Appendix table 3b. Mortality among persons aged 65 or over from dementia, ischaemic heart diseases, alcohol-related causes, suicides and accidents by region in 2009, men 1) (22.2.2011)
• Appendix table 3c. Mortality among persons aged 65 or over from dementia, ischaemic heart diseases, alcohol-related causes, suicides and accidents by region in 2009, women 1) (22.2.2011)
• Appendix table 4. Mortality during infant and perinatal period 1987 - 2009 (22.2.2011)
• Appendix table 5. Mean population in 2009 by sex (22.2.2011)
• Appendix table 6. Standard population used in calculating age-standardised figures (22.2.2011)

Figures

• Appendix figure 1. Leading causes of death among men aged 15 to 64 in 2009 (22.2.2011)
• Appendix figure 2. Leading causes of death among women aged 15 to 64 in 2009 (22.2.2011)
• Appendix figure 3. Deaths from dementia (incl. Alzheimer's) in 1985 - 2009 (22.2.2011)
• Appendix figure 4. Suicides by sex in 1985 - 2009 (22.2.2011)

Quality descriptions

• Quality description of cause of death statistics (22.2.2011)

---

Updated 22.2.2011