Citation

Mitchell RJ, Seah R, Ting HP, Curtis K, Foster K. Aust. N. Zeal. J. Public Health 2018; 42(3): 240-246.

Affiliation

Australian Catholic University & Northwestern Mental Health, Melbourne Health, Victoria.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Public Health Association of Australia, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/1753-6405.12782

PMID

29528540

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine the magnitude, 10-year temporal trends and treatment cost of intentional injury hospitalisations of children aged ≤16 years in Australia.

METHOD: A retrospective examination of linked hospitalisation and mortality data for children aged ≤16 years during 1 July 2001 to 30 June 2012 with self-harm or assault injuries. Negative binomial regression examined temporal trends.

RESULTS: There were 18,223 self-harm and 13,877 assault hospitalisations, with a treatment cost of $64 million and $60.6 million, respectively. The self-harm hospitalisation rate was 59.8 per 100,000 population (95%CI 58.96-60.71) with no annual decrease. The assault hospitalisation rate was 29.9 per 100,000 population (95%CI 29.39-30.39) with a 4.2% annual decrease (95%CI -6.14- -2.31, p<0.0001). Poisoning was the most common method of self-harm. Other maltreatment syndromes were common for children ≤5 years of age. Assault by bodily force was common for children aged 6-16 years.

CONCLUSIONS: Health professionals can play a key role in identifying and preventing the recurrence of intentional injury. Psychosocial care and access to support services are essential for self-harmers. Parental education interventions to reduce assaults of children and training in conflict de-escalation to reduce child peer-assaults are recommended. Implications for public health: Australia needs a whole-of-government and community approach to prevent intentional injury.

© 2018 The Authors.

Language: en

Keywords

assault; cost; hospitalisation; intentional injury; self-harm