Citation

Roberts DJ, Das D, Mercado M, Vis C, Kortbeek JB, Kirkpatrick AW, Ball CG. Am. J. Surg. 2014; 207(5): 653-7; discussion 657-8.

Affiliation

Department of Surgery, University of Calgary, Foothills Medical Centre, 1403-29th Street Northwest, Calgary, AB T2N 2T9, Canada; Department of Regional Trauma Services, University of Calgary, Foothills Medical Centre, 1403-29th Street Northwest, Calgary, AB T2N 2T9, Canada; Department of Oncology, University of Calgary, Foothills Medical Centre, 1403-29th Street Northwest, Calgary, AB T2N 2T9, Canada. Electronic address: Ball.Chad@gmail.com.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.amjsurg.2013.12.011

PMID

24560360

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Injury epidemiology fluctuates with economic activity in many countries. These relationships remain unclear in Canada. METHODS: The annual risk of admission for major injury (Injury Severity Score ≥12) to a high-volume, level-1 Canadian trauma center was compared with indicators of economic activity over a 16-year period using linear regression. RESULTS: An increased risk of injured patient admissions was associated with rising mean gross domestic product (GDP [millions of chained 2002 dollars]) (.36 person increase per 100,000 population/$1,000 increase in GDP; P = .001) and annual gasoline prices (.47 person increase per 100,000 population/cent increase in gasoline price; P = .001). Recreation-related vehicle injuries were also associated with economic affluence. The risk of trauma patient mortality with increasing mean annual GDP (P = .72) and gasoline prices (P = .32) remained unchanged. CONCLUSION: Hospital admissions for major injury, but not trauma patient mortality, were associated with economic activity in a large Canadian health care region.

Language: en