A two-step medically based injury surveillance system—experiences from the Oslo injury register

• Published in: Accident analysis and prevention 2004-11, Vol.36 (6), p.1003-1017
• Main Authors: Lund, Johan, Bjerkedal, Tor, Magne Gravseth, Hans, Vilimas, Kostas, Wergeland, Ebba
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accident registration; Epidemiologic Methods; Epidemiology; Forms and Records Control; Humans; In-depth investigation; Injury; Norway; Occupational Diseases - epidemiology; Population Surveillance - methods; Quality Control; Registries - statistics & numerical data; Surveillance; Wounds and Injuries - epidemiology
• ISSN: 0001-4575; 1879-2057
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2003.12.001

This paper presents a two-step injury surveillance system. In the first step, limited data (a minimum data set) on all (or a representative sample of all) injuries to residents and non-residents within a defined geographical area were obtained using routine collection procedures within the medical care system. The second step involved periodically sampling of specific injuries, injured persons, or places for in-depth investigations from the database established by the first step, or selecting relevant injured persons seeking treatment in the medical care system, to collect many data (an expanded data set) on a limited number of injuries. This system was implemented in Oslo. Data from about 48,000 injuries were collected annually. Two in-depth investigations of serious occupational injuries were carried out. The first involved 223 cases and the second, 50 cases. Some in-site studies were included. Experiences from the implementation in Oslo suggest that this system can function in the medical care system and provide data required for making estimates of injury incidence rates, establishing trends, and on contributing factors to injuries. A crucial factor in the success of the first part of such a system is to have enough resources for continuous quality control and feedback to personnel involved in the registration of data. Combining the registered data from general practitioners, accident and emergency departments, hospitals and notifications of fatalities in Oslo, and on assessments of the number of injuries treated by private clinics and occupational health centres in Oslo, and in the health care system outside of Oslo, leads to the conclusion that 11.9% of the residents of Oslo will annually be treated for an injury.