Publication catalogue list

Injury severity scaling: a comparison of methods for measurement of injury severity

Injury technical paper series no. 10

NISU uses a method to distinguish 'high threat to life' injuries from less serious injuries in some publications. The method is called the ICD-based Injury Severity Scaling (ICISS). This technical report documents a revision and update to the method.

Authored by Harrison J & Henley G.

Published 15 June 2009; ISSN 1444-778X; ISBN-13 978 1 74024 887 7; AIHW cat. no. INJCAT 126; INTERNET ONLY

Drowning and other injuries related to aquatic activities at ages 55 years and older in Australia

NISU briefing no. 15

Authored by Harrison J, Kreisfield R & Henley G.

Published 5 May 2009; ISSN 1833-024X; AIHW cat. no. INJCAT 125; 14pp.; INTERNET ONLY

Spinal cord injury, 1999-2005

NISU briefing no. 14

Authored by Henley G.

Published 28 April 2009; ISSN 1833-024X; AIHW cat. no. INJCAT 124; INTERNET ONLY

Hospitalisations due to falls by older people, Australia 2005-06

Injury research and statistics series no. 50

This report is the second in a series of biennial reports on hospitalisations due to falls by older people in Australia. The report focuses on hospitalised falls occurring in the financial year 2005-06 and examines trends in fall-related hospitalisations over the period 1999-2006. The number of fall events resulting in hospitalisation due to injury for older Australians remains high and the rate of fall-related injury incidents is particularly high for the oldest group within this population. As in the previous report, older females accounted for most of the hospitalised fall injury cases and a third of cases had injuries to the hip and thigh. Half of all fall injury cases for people aged 65 years and older occurred in the home. Falls in residential institutions were also common. Age-standardised rates of hospitalised fall-related injury separations have increased over the seven year study period to June 2006, despite a decrease in the rate for femur fractures due to falls. The estimated total length of stay per fall injury case has also increased over the period 1999-2006, apparently influenced by increases in the number of bed-days used by episodes of fall-related follow-up care.

Authored by AIHW National Injury Surveillance Unit.

Published 4 March 2009; ISSN 1444-3791; ISBN-13 978 1 74024 879 2; AIHW cat. no. INJCAT 122; 56pp.; $20.00

Eye-related injuries in Australia

Reducing preventable vision loss has recently been identified as a priority by Australian governments and non-government organisations. Eye injuries in Australia is the third in a series of national reports providing an overview of eye health in Australia. This report presents eye injuries from the perspectives of hospitalisations, general practice consultations, emergency department attendances, workers' compensation claims, and also as reported in national surveys. This report is an invaluable resource for policy-makers, health professionals, advocacy groups and others interested in knowing more about eye injuries in Australia.

Authored by AIHW.

Published 4 February 2009; ISBN-13 978 1 74024 881 5; AIHW cat. no. INJCAT 123; 64pp.; FREE

Spinal cord injury, Australia, 2006-07

Injury research and statistics series no. 48

Severe spinal cord injury (SCI) is a very debilitating and costly injury. This report presents information from the Australian Spinal Cord Injury Register (ASCIR) on 348 newly incident cases from trauma and disease in 2006-07. During the year, 272 new cases of SCI from traumatic causes were registered in Australia, an age-adjusted incidence rate of 14.9 cases per million population. The most common clinical outcome of SCI from traumatic causes was incomplete tetraplegia (98 cases). Transport related injuries (52%) and falls (29%) accounted for over three-quarters of the 271 cases of traumatic SCI (one case under the age of 15 years was excluded from these analyses). Cases also occurred during sport (n = 21) and working for income, including travel to and from work (n = 37). Falling was the most common type of event leading to traumatic SCI at older ages. The ASCIR is a collaborative activity of the AIHW National Injury Surveillance Unit and all of the specialist spinal units in Australia.

Authored by Cripps R.

Published 22 January 2009; ISSN 1444-3791; ISBN-13 978 1 74024 818 1; AIHW cat. no. INJCAT 119; 44pp.; $30.00

Hospital separations due to injury and poisoning, Australia, 2004-05

Injury research and statistics series no. 46

This report presents national statistics on injuries that resulted in admission to hospitals in Australia. It includes cases discharged during the year to 30 June 2005. Unintentional falls, transport-related injury, intentional self-harm and assault are common causes of hospitalised injury in the Australian community. Injuries due to these and other causes are described, in terms of case numbers and rates, by age and sex, place of usual residence, length of stay in hospital and other characteristics. Injuries sustained while working for income or while engaged in sporting activities are also described. The report will be relevant to anyone interested in gaining an insight into patterns of injury morbidity and the burden it imposes on the Australian community.

Authored by Bradley C & Harrison J.

Published 28 November 2008; ISSN 1444-3791; ISBN-13 978 1 74024 821 1; AIHW cat. no. INJCAT 117; 176pp.; $35.00

Injury of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples due to transport, 2001-02 to 2005-06

Injury research and statistics series no. 46

This report looks at the death and serious injury of Indigenous persons in Australia due to transport accidents in the five-year period 2001-02 to 2005-06. It focuses on the four jurisdictions of the Northern Territory, Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland and examines variables such as mode of transport, gender, age group and remoteness from an urban centre.

Authored by Berry JG & Harrison J.

Published 22 September 2008; ISSN 1444-3791; ISBN-13 978 1 74024 832 7; AIHW cat. no. INJCAT 120; INTERNET ONLY

Injury as a chronic health issue in Australia

NISU briefing no. 13

This Briefing provides an overview of injury as a chronic health issue in Australia. The report highlights the long-term health consequences following severe injury and the effects on individual's physical and psychosocial wellbeing. Types of injuries covered in the Briefing include spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, severe burns as well as injury comorbidities such as fractures and self-harm.

Authored by Cripps R.

Published 15 September 2008; ISSN 1833-024X; AIHW cat. no. INJCAT 118; 13pp.; INTERNET ONLY

Hospital separations due to traumatic brain injury, Australia 2004-05

Injury research and statistics series no. 45

This report describes hospitalisations for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in Australia for the period 2004-2005. TBI, as distinct from head injury, is characterised by an external impact to the head that results in damage to the brain. TBI is defined in this report by the presence in hospital separation records of at least one ICD-10-AM code in the S06 intracranial injury range occurring in at least one of fifty available diagnosis fields. The 22,710 records meeting this criterion were analysed in three groups, according to the prominence of TBI in the record. Analysis and description of combinations of injury types resulting in TBI admissions to a hospital are reported, including discussion of severity of injury, and cost and burden on the systems for acute care and rehabilitation. About 980 (4.3% of cases) deaths in hospital were reported. Direct costs for hospital care for TBI separations were estimated to be more than $184 million.

Authored by Harrison J, Helps Y & Henley G.

Published 12 September 2008; ISBN-13 978 1 74024 826 6; AIHW cat. no. INJCAT 116; $35.00