Understanding the strategy
The National Sports Injury Data Strategy logic model (Table 1) describes the strategy and its intended impact on the Australian population.
| Components | Key examples |
|---|---|
Inputs | Funding AIHW staff Secure IT infrastructure Strong stakeholder partnerships Government strategies and initiatives |
Activities | Stakeholder consultation and collaboration Development of data collection resources Analysis of existing injury data Investigate different injury data sources |
Outputs | Endorsed national database Standardised data collection processes Injury data regularly shared with the AIHW Establish robust injury analysis methods Publish data findings in AIHW reports |
Short-term outcomes | Improved availability of injury data Increased understanding of injury risks Improved sport and active recreation safety |
Long-term outcomes | Reduced injury rates Reduced inequities in the burden of injury Increased participation in physical activities Improved population health and wellbeing |
Inputs
The inputs list the resources required to achieve the strategy. The 2022-23 Budget provided the ASC with $2.8 million over four years to develop and progress the National Sports Injury Data Program in collaboration with the AIHW. The AIHW is the leading health and welfare statistics agency in Australia that has been securely and ethically managing national data for more than 30 years, so it is well placed to provide qualified and experienced staff to execute the strategy, and secure IT infrastructure to receive, store, and access data. The AIHW also has strong partnerships across the sport and active recreation sector, which will be critical to the success of the strategy and ensuring it aligns with current government strategies and initiatives on injury prevention.
Activities and outputs
The activities list the actions required to produce the strategy’s outputs. Both activities and their outputs can be categorised into three streams:
- Data development
- Methodology development
- Injury surveillance and reporting
Data development
Injury data development is focused on providing organisations with standardised methods and processes for collecting high-quality data on sport and active recreation injuries that will benefit the organisation and its participants, as well as contributing to the national understanding of sport and active recreation injuries.
The benefits that sporting and active recreation organisations get from collecting this data are better injury prevention and management programs that reduce the risk of injury, which will improve the performance and participation of its members. This could lead to increased revenue from memberships and reduced overheads due to lower insurance costs.
Data development resources, such as a data collection manual and an updated sports injury data dictionary will be developed and made available under the Data collection section of this report. These resources will be designed to help people who are reporting sport and active recreation injuries. The data collection manual will describe best-practice data collection processes, including information on consent, privacy, security, and data sharing. The data dictionary will provide more details on the different types of data that will be collected for the NSIDA.
All data development resources will be refined through consultation and collaboration with the sport and active recreation sector, other data providers and organisations, and experts in data and governance.
Methodology development
Methodology development relates to the methods used to analyse sport and active recreation injury data for public health and economic reports released by the AIHW. Experts are consulted when developing and refining these methods, which are then published to ensure rigour and reproducibility of findings.
The costs and benefits of physical activity will also be included when developing models to analyse sport and active recreation participation and injury data. This allows sufficient evidence to be gathered on injuries arising from sport and active recreation participation, and the potential population benefits achieved through improved injury prevention and management and increased physical activity.
Injury surveillance and reporting
Injury surveillance and reporting involves using data from the NSIDA to identify injury patterns and trends, injury prevention priorities, and evaluate the effectiveness of current prevention initiatives across communities. Data providers and users will be consulted for input on the interpretation of data findings, and whether the data requires further development.
Data findings will be published periodically through the AIHW, and potentially other channels, such as the Clearinghouse for Sport to increase the impact of these findings. Importantly, organisation-level summary reports will be made available directly to data providers on the data they provide to the asset.
Outcomes
The outcomes describe the short and long-term changes that could occur from delivering the strategy’s outputs. Strengthening data collection processes and standards and making data collection a core business practice will ensure that sport and active recreation injury data is shared to the NSIDA on an ongoing basis. This will enable the AIHW to routinely report on data findings that will increase national understanding of injury risks and inform injury prevention strategies.
Implementing evidence-based prevention strategies will reduce injury rates in sport and active recreation and inequities that currently exist across population groups, allowing more Australians to engage in physical activity, which will lead to better health and wellbeing outcomes in the population.