The epidemiology of violence in Denmark.
A 1-year prospective study was carried out to describe the epidemiological changes in interpersonal violence in Aarhus (Denmark) over a 12-year period. Data was collected from the Accident & Emergency department, the Department of Forensic Medicine, the local police and compared to previous studies carried out in 1981-1982 and 1987-1988. The incidence of violence was found to have declined significantly over the study period, but severity of violence remained unchanged. The composition of pubs, discotheques and cafes might be an important factor in reducing inner city violence. Police statistics alone may give a false picture of the assault rate. All of these factors are discussed.
Brink
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Department of Forensic Medicine, Aarhus University, Denmark.