Clinical and public health perspectives of injury admissions for head injury or long bone fracture with hospital codes related to child maltreatment in england 1997–2009

• Published in: Archives of disease in childhood 2011-04, Vol.96 (Suppl 1), p.A87-A88
• Main Authors: Lee, J, Gonzalez-Izquierdo, A, Ward, A, Gilbert, R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Child Abuse; Head injuries; Hospitals; Infants; Injuries; Public health; Young Children
• ISSN: 0003-9888; 1468-2044
• DOI: 10.1136/adc.2011.212563.204

Aims To determine the prevalence of codes related to child maltreatment in hospital administrative records of children with head injury or fracture. Methods We examined NHS hospital episode statistics for children aged 1 week to 5 years admitted in England 1997–2009) with an intracranial injury (ICI), uncomplicated head injury (no ICI or skull fracture) or a fractured long bone. We determined the prevalence of any maltreatment-related code given type of injury and age group (clinical perspective), and the proportion of any admissions for ICI, uncomplicated head injury or long bone fracture that had a maltreatment-related code (public health perspective). Results The prevalence of maltreatment-related injury was highest for infants under 6 months with ICI (31%) or long bone fracture (29%) and declined with age. The large majority of maltreatment-related injury admissions occurred in low risk children aged 1 to 5 years with uncomplicated head injury (table 1). Abstract G190 Table 1 Per cent maltreatment related (95% CI) Number of maltreatment related admissions Per cent of total maltreatment in age group Intracranial injury  >1 week to