OA2074. Accidents in Germany 2024 – first results of a survey by the National Public Health Institute

Abstract Background In 2023, over 33,000 people died in accidents in Germany (ICD10: V01-X59), most of them in accidents at home and during leisure activities (30,000). Germany-wide monitoring and reporting is only available for individual areas, with a particular lack of data on accidents at home and during leisure activities. In 2024, after a 14-year interval, a nationwide survey was conducted to close this gap. Methods In the accident module of the Robert Koch Institute’s ‘Health in Germany 2024’ study, 27,020 people aged 18 and over were asked about accident-related injuries in the previous 12 months. The data set was weighted according to age, gender, education and regional characteristics and analysed descriptively. Results 9.0% of women and 10.3% of men in Germany report at least one accident-related injury within 12 months that required medical treatment. Over a third of accidents happened at home, a quarter during leisure time. Women report fewer accidents at work than men, but more accidents at home. The most significant age differences are found in leisure-time accidents, with a significantly higher proportion of accidents happening during leisure time among younger people than among older people. The pattern is reversed for accidents at home. There are educational differences in the locations of accidents: accidents at work were reported more frequently by men with a low level of education, while leisure accidents were reported more frequently by men with a high level of education. One-fifth of accident victims were treated in hospital. (Data as of 31 March 2025). Conclusions The initial analysis provides important key data for informing health policymakers and prevention experts in Germany. The accident module contains numerous additional questions about the circumstances of the accident, the resulting injuries and the care provided. In future, this will enable concrete recommendations for prevention to be made, because an accident is no coincidence. Key messages • 9.0% of women and 10.3% of men in Germany received medical treatment for an accident within a year. • After 14 years, this survey provides urgently needed detailed information on accidents for health policymakers and prevention experts in Germany. Topic Accident, prevalence, adults.