Patterns of injury in indigenous Australians admitted to Cairns Base Hospital.
OBJECTIVE
To study and compare the type and frequency of injury to indigenous and non-indigenous patients admitted to the Orthopaedic Unit at Cairns Base Hospital.


METHODS
Relevant statistics for all patients were entered or calculated: demographics, length of stay, comorbidity and complications were available. After Variance Analysis, age-standardised rates of trauma were tested using confidence intervals.


RESULTS
Of 2254 admissions for trauma in 32 months, 23% were indigenous (12% of the catchment population). Upper limb injuries were significantly higher for all indigenes, these males being admitted three times as frequently as non-indigenous males. Specific lesions showed greater differences and punch injuries were prominent in both indigenous sexes. Indigenous women were much more likely to be the victims of assault or fights than other groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Personal injury costs are high in the indigenous community, in human and material terms. More resources should be directed towards injury prevention.
Macintosh
David J
DJ
Cairns base hospital, Cairns, Queensland, Australia. david_macintosh@health.qld.gov.au
Pearson
J Belinda
JB
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D015984:Causality; D005260:Female; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011793:Queensland / Q000453:epidemiology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*