The epidemiology of hospitalised wrist fractures in older people, New South Wales, Australia.
The epidemiology and trends in wrist fracture admissions to public and private acute hospitals in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, between July 1993 and June 2003 were examined using routinely collected hospital separations statistics. During the study period, the number of hospital separations for wrist fractures increased by 71% in men, an average yearly increase of 6.5%, and by 43% in women, an average yearly increase of 3.9%. A modest, but significant, increase in age-specific and age-standardised hospitalisation rates for wrist fractures was also observed. Whilst the majority of wrist fractures were due to falls, the proportion of falls-related wrist fractures decreased significantly over time. This decrease was more pronounced in males and was accompanied by a rise in the proportion of wrist fractures resulting from high energy mechanisms such as transport, violence and machinery-related incidents. The difference in hospitalised wrist fracture rates between men and women could not be explained solely on the basis of the role played by osteoporosis, indicating the need for more research to improve our understanding of the underlying factors of this type of fracture in older people.
Boufous
Soufiane
S
NSW Injury Risk Management Research Centre, Building G2, Western Campus. University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia. Electronic address: soufiane@unsw.edu.au.
Finch
Caroline
C
NSW Injury Risk Management Research Centre, Building G2, Western Campus. University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia.
Lord
Stephen
S
Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, University of New South Wales Sydney, Australia.
Close
Jacqueline
J
Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, University of New South Wales Sydney, Australia.
Gothelf
Todd
T
Surgical and Orthopaedic Research Laboratories, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
Walsh
William
W
Surgical and Orthopaedic Research Laboratories, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D014954:Wrist Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*