Agricultural Economics and Rural Policy Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Domain Agri, Food and Life Sciences, Inholland University of Applied Sciences, Delft, The Netherlands.
Sci Rep. 2024 Sep 28;14(1):22415. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-73716-x.
Urban and roadside trees contribute to health and resilience. However, when trees or branches fall, it can cause injuries or deaths. This study examined trends and variations of injuries and deaths due to tree failure in The Netherlands from 1998 to 2021, considering urban-rural location, sex, age and traffic mode. This study is the first to describe long-term trends in injuries and deaths due to tree failure from 1998-2021. The standardised rate of injuries per 1,000,000 population increased from 0.14 (SE 0.10) in 1998 to 0.91 (SE 0.21) in 2021, with an annual percentage increase of 5.3% (p = 0.002). The data shows a strong increase for rural areas, contrary to urban ones. The annual percentage increase in rural areas was 13.2% (p < 0.001) while injuries in urban areas increased with 3.0% (p = 0.026), which revealed large urban-rural disparities. A trend was absent in the frequency of deaths. More attention needs to be given to investigating causes, drivers and stressors associated with tree failure-related injuries. In particular, efforts should be made to reduce the prevalence in rural areas. The increase in injuries over time makes it necessary to create awareness and share knowledge among residents and local governments about tree failure risks.
城市和路边的树木有助于健康和恢复力。然而，当树木或树枝倒下时，可能会导致受伤或死亡。本研究从 1998 年至 2021 年期间，考虑城乡位置、性别、年龄和交通方式，调查了荷兰因树木故障导致的伤害和死亡的趋势和变化。这项研究首次描述了 1998 年至 2021 年因树木故障导致的伤害和死亡的长期趋势。每 100 万人的受伤标准化率从 1998 年的 0.14（SE 0.10）增加到 2021 年的 0.91（SE 0.21），年增长率为 5.3%（p=0.002）。数据显示，农村地区的增幅很大，与城市地区形成鲜明对比。农村地区的年增长率为 13.2%（p<0.001），而城市地区的受伤人数增加了 3.0%（p=0.026），这表明城乡差距很大。死亡率没有趋势。需要更多地关注调查与树木故障相关的伤害的原因、驱动因素和压力源。特别是，应努力减少农村地区的发病率。随着时间的推移，受伤人数的增加使得有必要在居民和地方政府中提高对树木故障风险的认识并分享相关知识。
