Projects per year
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.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 240-246 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
Volume | 42 |
Issue number | 3 |
Early online date | 12 Mar 2018 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jun 2018 |
Bibliographical note
Copyright the Author(s) 2018. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.Keywords
- Assault
- Cost
- Hospitalisation
- Intentional injury
- Self-harm
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics of 'Intentional self-harm and assault hospitalisations and treatment cost of children in Australia over a 10-year period'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 1 Finished
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Better outcomes for severely injured children and their families, through the trauma journey
1/06/16 → 1/06/19
Project: Research
Press/Media
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Health experts call for a national strategy on child self-harm to curb rates of hospitalisation
13/03/18
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
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Kids as young as six intentionally harming themselves
13/03/18
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
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