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314 Injury recidivists in a defined population. Occurrence and characteristics
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  1. Børge Ytterstad1,
  2. Thomas Gressnes2
  1. 1University of Tromsø, Norway
  2. 2Harstad University College, Norway

Abstract

Background Studies on injury recidivism in Pubmed are mainly based solely on admissions to emergency departments for certain injury types. For tailoring prevention programs, such studies may aid identification of target groups for interventions. To our knowledge, population based studies on the full spectre of injury recidivism in a community have not been published so far.

Methods The Harstad Injury Prevention Studies have relied on data from a continuously recorded injury data base (IDB) since 1985. Coding was done in the Nordic system. From 2010 a unique identifier variable (ID = 11 digit person number) was added to the IDB after permission from the data inspectorate. The present work is based on injuries treated at Harstad Hospital (admitted and outpatient) containing this ID. Some person numbers are punched retrospective from 2010. Information on alcohol and drugs was found in the free text variable. Definition of Recidivism: In some studies more than two injury episodes. The present study includes five or more. Aim of study is identification of target groups and tailoring community interventions.

Results Out of 27090 records on 18667 persons, we identified 360 treated for five or more injury episodes. These 360 were treated in 2321 different injury treatment episodes. The range of episodes was five to 41. Overrepresented groups were: 1) females age 19–29, treated for self-harm, alcohol/drugs/narcotics involved in most cases 2) males age group 19–29, treated for interpersonal violence, also with stories including alcohol and drugs 3) elderlies falling, 4) adolescent and young men in high energy activities.

Conclusions A continuous hospital based injury registry can identify characteristics and distribution of injury recidivists in a population.

  • Recidivists injury population

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