Overall
By Sex
By Age Group
By Deprivation
Overall
In 2021 there were over 500 hospitalizations due to intentional self-harm among Simcoe Muskoka residents 10 years of age and older for an age-standardized hospitalization rate of 100.4 (91.8, 109.6) admissions per 100,000 population. This was significantly higher than the Ontario rate of 70.4 (69.0, 71.9) admissions per 100,000 population 10 years and older.
The intentional self-harm hospitalization rates dropped by approximately 10 per cent in both Simcoe Muskoka and Ontario overall in 2020. In 2021, the rates increased for both Simcoe Muskoka and Ontario; however, the increase was greater for the province when compared with Simcoe Muskoka. It is unknown what impact the pandemic had on this trend, both from a mental health and a health care access perspective. The local self-harm hospitalization rates have been consistently and considerably higher than the comparable provincial average since 2003.
By Sex
In 2021, the age-standardized hospitalization rate for intentional self-harm among Simcoe Muskoka males was 67.2 (57.5, 78.0) admissions per 100,000, which was significantly lower than the female rate of 135.3 (121.0, 150.8) admissions per 100,000. The intentional self-harm related hospitalization rates in Simcoe Muskoka were significantly higher than the Ontario rates for both males and females.
The intentional self-harm hospitalization rates dropped sharply in 2020 by approximately 20% among Simcoe Muskoka females; however, rates did not change among males. In 2021, the female rate increase but not back to the levels observed before the pandemic. Again, the male rate did not change in 2021. The reason for this different pattern by sex is unclear. The Simcoe Muskoka female rates have been significantly higher than the male rates since 2003.
By Age Group
The age-specific rate for self-harm related hospitalizations from 2017 and 2021 (combined) in Simcoe Muskoka was highest for youth (10-19 years) with a rate of 225.6 (209.7, 242.5) admissions per 100,000 population, this rate was significantly higher when compared with any other age group over this same period of time. The age-specific intentional self-harm hospitalization rates in Simcoe Muskoka were significantly higher than the comparable Ontario rates for those between 10 and 74 years of age; however, the intentional self-harm hospitalization rates in Simcoe Muskoka among older seniors (75 years and older) were similar to the comparable provincial rates.
In 2021, the local and provincial intentional self-harm hospitalization rates among youth (10-19 years) increased by about one-third when compared with 2020. It is unclear what impact the pandemic had in this change. Previously there was a sharp and significant upward trend in the intentional self-harm hospitalization rates among youth (10-19 years) in both Simcoe Muskoka and Ontario from 2008 to 2016 with rates doubling over this period. The local rates did not change significantly from 2016 to 2020, while the provincial rates decreased significantly during that time. The local rates have been significantly higher than the provincial rates since 2012.
The Simcoe Muskoka youth (10-19 years) intentional self-harm hospitalization rates are substantially higher for females when compared with males. The female youth (10-19 years) intentional self-harm hospitalization rates increased significantly from 2012 to 2016 when compared with 2009 to 2011. Rates among female youth increase significantly again from 2017 to 2019, followed by non-significant increase over the first two years of the pandemic (2020-2021). The male youth self-harm hospitalization rates have not changed significantly since 2012.
By Deprivation
For the time period from 2017 to 2021 (combined) in Simcoe Muskoka, intentional self-harm injury and poisoning hospitalization rates were more than double for those living in areas with the highest amount of material deprivation when compared with those living in the least deprived areas (as measured by the 2016 Ontario Marginalization Index).
For more local data on intentional self-harm injuries and poisonings and other health topics see the interactive dashboards available on Simcoe Muskoka HealthMAPS.