Article Text

Download PDFPDF
Decline in hospitalisations due to dog bite injuries in Catalonia, 1997–2008. An effect of government regulation?

Abstract

Objective To analyse population-based data on hospitalisation caused by dog bite injuries after changes in legal regulations on dog ownership, including breed-specific regulations.

Design Descriptive study.

Setting Hospitals in Catalonia (Spain), 1997–2008.

Subjects Persons hospitalised with injuries caused by dog bites.

Results There has been a significant decline in hospitalisation caused by injuries from dog bites from 1.80/100 000 in 1997–9 to 1.11/100 000 in 2006–8, after the enactment of stricter regulations on dog ownership in 1999 and 2002. The magnitude of this change is significant (−38%), and has been greatest in less urban settings.

Conclusions Government regulations were associated with a sizable decrease in injuries caused by dog bites in Catalonia. More evaluative studies in this field may provide criteria to focus future regulations and other preventive interventions.

  • Injury
  • dog bites
  • hospitalisation
  • epidemiology
  • government regulation
  • evaluation
  • government
  • health services
  • legislation

Statistics from Altmetric.com

Request Permissions

If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.