Effects of gender, indigenous status and remoteness to health services on the occurrence of assault-related injuries in children and adolescents.
BACKGROUND
Assault-related injury is a devastating consequence of violence and is a prominent cause of morbidity and mortality in young age. However, reliable data sources are scarce and there has been a paucity of studies examining possible predisposing factors on the incidence of assault-related injury.


METHODS
Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the effect of gender, indigenous status and remoteness to health services on sustaining assault-related injuries in patients aged 17 years and under by using data from the state-wide trauma registry in Queensland, Australia from 2005 to 2008.


RESULTS
A total of 282 assault-related injury cases were identified. Indigenous females were at the highest risk of sustaining assault-related injuries (odds ratio (OR): 15.3, 95% confidence interval (CI): 8.17-28.6), followed by indigenous males (OR: 6.55, 95% CI: 3.60-11.9) and non-indigenous males (OR: 2.82, 95% CI: 1.78-4.47). Males were at a significantly higher risk than females in the group aged 13-17 years (OR: 2.11, 95% CI: 1.34-3.31). Living in a regional area was associated with a lower risk compared to major cities for non-indigenous people (OR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.44-0.78). Indigenous people were at higher risk of sustaining an assault-related injury than non-indigenous people in regional areas (OR: 4.8, 95% CI: 3.14-7.42) and in remote areas (OR: 10.1, 95% CI: 2.64-38.69).


CONCLUSIONS
The current study provides evidence of interaction effects among the predisposing factors. Identifying these factors is important to conduct effective preventive measures and trauma management plans focussing on high-risk groups of assault-related injuries in young age.
Centre of National Research on Disability and Rehabilitation Medicine, CONROD, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. f.irie@uq.edu.au
Fumiko
F
Irie
Jacelle
J
Lang
Melissa
M
Kaltner
Robyne
R
Le Brocque
Justin
J
Kenardy
D000059:Accidents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011793:Queensland / Q000453:epidemiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control