title: Serious facial fractures in New Zealand from 1979 to 1998.
abstract: We present data on the incidence, aetiology, age, sex and ethnic distribution of facial fractures in New Zealand for the 20-year period from 1979-1998. Most facial fractures (78.9%) occurred in males with a rate of 65.5/100,000, person-years compared with 21% in females with an incidence of 17/100,000. While the injury rate peaked in males between the ages of 20-24 years (200/100,000), it peaked between 15-19 years (34.7/100,000) in females. The most common causes of facial fracture in both genders were assault (14/100,000) and being unintentionally struck by an object or person (9.5/100,000) which is consistent with similar data from South Africa and the USA. The rates of fracture in Maori (68.1/100,000) were approximately twice those of Pacific Islanders (37/100,000) or other ethnic groups (34.2/100,000).
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Sciences and Orthdontics, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. jules.kieser@stonebow.otago.ac.nz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kieser
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stephenson
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Liston
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Langley
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology; D008440:Maxillary Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology; D008446:Maxillofacial Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009295:Nasal Bone / Q000293:injuries; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D012744:Sex Ratio; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data