title: Patterns and trends in facial fractures in New Zealand between 1999 and 2009.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe patterns and trends in facial fractures in New Zealand over a decade.
  
  
  METHODS
  A secondary analysis of Ministry of Health data on facial fractures occurring between 30 June 1999 and 1 July 2009. Patient demographic characteristics and the details of injury were analysed and described.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over the study period, the incidence of injury was constant. A total of 26,637 facial fractures were recorded. Most (79%) occurred in males, giving a male-to-female ratio of 4:1. Peak injury rates for both males and females, coincide with the legal alcohol purchasing age. Interpersonal violence (IPV) was the leading cause of facial fractures, accounting for 38%; it increased steadily each year. The number of fractures attributed to sports/other, and road traffic accidents (RTA) had fallen. Māori still continue to experience a disproportionate rate of facial fractures, twice that of the NZ European population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interpersonal violence is an increasing problem in NZ and contributes to a greater number of facial fractures each year. More measures are required to reduce the number of IPV-related injuries. Perhaps the most effective would be to return the legal alcohol purchasing age to 20 years. More is also required to reduce facial fractures in the high-risk injury groups of young adults, males, and Māori.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Adsett
authors.affiliation: The Sir John Walsh Research Institute, Department of Oral Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. luke_adsett@hotmail.com
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.affiliation: The Sir John Walsh Research Institute, Department of Oral Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Kieser
authors.affiliation: The Sir John Walsh Research Institute, Department of Oral Diagnostic and Surgical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago, P.O. Box 647, Dunedine, New Zealand.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Tong
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult