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Injury in the home is extremely common, accounting for approximately one-third of all injuries. The home is the second most common location of unintentional fatal injuries in the United States, with motor vehicles traveling on the road being the first. The home is the site of approximately 20% of all injury death. The top five leading causes of unintentional home injury death are falls, poisoning, fire/burn, choking/suffocation, and drowning; together these causes account for 90% of all unintentional home injury deaths. Yet the majority of unintentional home injuries do not result in death. For every home injury death there are approximately 650 nonfatal injuries. Children under age 5 and adults over age 70 are the highest risk groups for home injury, both fatal and nonfatal.

Source: Home Safety Council

HCMC collaborates with partners throughout the community to address home safety issues through child-focused, community-based safety camp and referrals for high risk clients. These partners include: The Minnesota Visiting Nurse Agency, Brain Injury Association of  Minnesota, and Minnesota Poison Control Center.

HCMC Traumatic Brain Injury web site

Home Safety Council

Healthy Children "Fire Safety"

Fire Prevention (USFA)

Foresight Home Childproofing

State Farm Home "Be Safe at Home"

Home Insurance "Home Safety"

MN Safety Council Safety Fact Sheets

Each year, an average of more than 7,000 adults age 65 and older die from unintentional home injuries. The top five leading causes of these home injury deaths are falls, fire/burn, poisoning, natural/ environmental (e.g., exposure to severe heat or cold or a natural disaster), and choking/suffocation.

Falls alone account for 52.5% of all home injury deaths for adults age 65-74, 68.2% of home injury deaths for adults age 75-84, and 78.4% of home injury deaths for adults age 85 and older.

Adults age 65 and older experience an average of 2.3 million nonfatal unintentional home injuries annually. The top five leading causes of these nonfatal injuries are falls, overexertion, struck by/against, cut/pierce, and poisoning. Again, falls are the leading cause, accounting for more than 66% of nonfatal home injuries.

Source: Home Safety Council