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Using radiology records to improve epidemiological information in paediatric fractures: a feasibility study
A M O'Byrne1, P Edwards, S Jarvis
1North Tyneside General Hospital, North Tyneside Health Care NHS Trust, North Shields, Tyne.
Objectives:
To assess the feasibility of using routine computerised radiology records for community injury surveillance data using fractures in the child population as an example.
Design:
Radiology and in-patient computerised files were accessed to extract information concerning type of fracture, age, sex, and home address. Diagnostic coding of radiological report was carried out using the ICD-9 classification. Children were assigned to local authority wards using home postcodes derived from home addresses. Ward fracture rates were calculated using 1991 census data. The association between ward fracture rates and deprivation was explored using Townsend scores.
Setting:
North Tyneside General Hospital.
Subjects:
Children age 10-14 y receiving care as in-patients or out-patients for long-bone fractures.
Results:
Between April 1991 and March 1996 a total of 497 long-bone fractures were identified. Fractures in boys exceeded those in girls by a ratio of 2:1. The most common fracture identified was of the radius and ulna. There was no evidence of an ecological association between long-bone fracture rates in children aged 10-14 y and social deprivation.
Conclusions:
Computerised radiological records may be used to improve epidemiological information concerning fractures. However, at present, considerable time and effort is required to access the information, to identify and to classify, long-bone fractures. Such data could be used to assist in the audit of clinical care and long-term outcomes, and to inform effective local planning and evaluation of injury prevention initiatives.