Interpersonal violence hospitalisations for adolescents: a population-based study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the incidence and nature of interpersonal violence hospitalisations for victims aged 11-18 years and to identify subgroups at risk of repeat hospital admissions.


METHODS
A population-based, retrospective study of interpersonal violence from 1990 to 2004 was undertaken, using linked hospital morbidity and mental health records for adolescents in Western Australia.


RESULTS
A total of 3607 adolescents incurred 4094 violence hospitalisations during the study period. Of this cohort, 2992 (83%) were between 15 and 18 years of age. Younger victims aged 11-14 years with a previous mental illness admission were at increased risk of a subsequent hospitalisation for violence when compared to those without (hazard ratio (HR) 2.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.83-4.31). Adolescents aged 15-18 years were at increased risk to incur a second violence episode if they were female (HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.23-1.75), Indigenous (HR 1.83, 95% CI 1.51-2.22), living in rural (HR 1.60, 95% CI 1.26-2.04) or remote areas (HR 1.96, 95% CI 1.56-2.47) and had a previous mental illness admission (HR 1.56, 95% CI 1.30-1.86).


CONCLUSIONS
The identification of victim subgroups at high risk of repeat hospitalisations is important for preventing interpersonal violence. Adolescents with a mental illness should be specifically targeted for attention.
Meuleners
Lynn B
LB
School of Public Health, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Lee
Andy H
AH
Hendrie
Delia
D
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006753:Hospital Records / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008498:Medical Record Linkage; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012919:Social Behavior; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014904:Western Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology