Biomedical subjects

Soufiane Boufous

Publications and source records attributed to Soufiane Boufous.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

The epidemiology of hospitalised wrist fractures in older people, New South Wales, Australia.

The epidemiology and trends in wrist fracture admissions to public and private acute hospitals in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, between July 1993 and June 2003 were examined using routinely collected hospital separations statistics. During the study period, the number of hospital separations for wrist fractures increased by 71% in men, an average yearly increase of 6.5%, and by 43% in women, an average yearly increase of 3.9%. A modest, but significant, increase in age-specific and age-standardised hospitalisation rates for wrist fractures was also observed. Whilst the majority of wrist fractures were due to falls, the proportion of falls-related wrist fractures decreased significantly over time. This decrease was more pronounced in males and was accompanied by a rise in the proportion of wrist fractures resulting from high energy mechanisms such as transport, violence and machinery-related incidents. The difference in hospitalised wrist fracture rates between men and women could not be explained solely on the basis of the role played by osteoporosis, indicating the need for more research to improve our understanding of the underlying factors of this type of fracture in older people.

Age Distribution↗

PubMed2005

Work-related traffic crashes: a record linkage study.

AIM: To examine the characteristics of work-related traffic crashes involving drivers in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. METHODS: Probabilistic data record linkage were used to merge police crash records and workers compensation data for the period 1998-2002. RESULTS: The record linkage identified 13,124 drivers who were injured or died as a result of work-related traffic crash in New South Wales over the 5-year period. Approximately three quarters of driver casualties occurred during commuting (74.8%) with the rest occurring in the course of work. Male drivers made up around three quarters of these crashes and 93% of those that resulted in a fatality. Transport workers were the most frequent victims of work-related crashes while on duty (20.8%), with drivers of heavy trucks representing about half (48%) of all fatalities resulting from on duty work-related crashes. Nearly 1 in 6 male drivers were speeding at the time of the crash (15%, 95% CI 14.2-15.7) compared to less than 1 in 10 female drivers (9%, 95% CI 8.3-9.8) of female drivers. Male drivers were also significantly more likely to be fatigued at the time of the crash 7.6% (95% CI 7.0-8.2) compared to females 4.2% (95% CI 3.7-4.8). No significant difference was observed in the proportion of crashes involving fatigue between on duty and commuting traffic crashes. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrates the value of record linkage techniques in addressing some of the limitations of work-related data systems and in providing a more complete picture of the circumstances of occupational road crashes.

Accidents, Occupational↗

PubMed2005

The increasing burden of pelvic fractures in older people, New South Wales, Australia.

Despite their significant health burden, epidemiological information regarding pelvic fractures is scarce. In this study, we examine trends in admission for pelvic fractures to acute hospitals in New South Wales, Australia, between July 1988 and June 2000, using routinely collected hospital separations statistics. Over this period, the number of admissions for pelvic fractures among those aged 50 years and over increased by 58.4% in men and 110.8% in women. Age-specific rates of admissions per 100,000 population for pelvic fracture also rose significantly, particularly for those aged at least 75 years. The number and proportion of transport related pelvic fractures fell significantly for both men (chi(2)=23.82, d.f.=1, p<0.001) and women (chi(2)=49.26, d.f.=1, p<0.001) while those resulting from falls increased significantly over the 12-year-period. Falls are increasingly becoming the single most important cause of pelvic injuries in older people, suggesting that preventive measures aimed at reducing the risk of falls need to be pursued. Factors contributing to the rise of fall-related pelvic fractures need to be investigated to inform strategies aimed at reversing the observed increase in the number and age-specific rates of pelvic fractures in older people.

Accidental Falls↗

PubMed2005

Disability and health service utilization associated with psychological distress: the influence of ethnicity.

This study examined levels of disability and use of health services, as a result of psychological distress, across various ethnic groups after taking into account selected sociodemographic factors such as age, gender, education, and employment. We have analyzed data from the 1997-1998 New South Wales Health Survey, Australia. A telephone interview of 35,025 adults aged 16 years and over selected from each of the 17 Health Service Areas in the state. While people from non-English speaking backgrounds were more likely to suffer high levels of disability as a result of psychological distress, they were less likely to utilize health services compared to those from English speaking backgrounds. This was particularly true for those born in Southern and South-East Asia as well as the Middle East and Africa. Further research into the reasons underlying these findings for each ethnic group is warranted.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Incidence of hip fracture in New South Wales: are our efforts having an effect?

OBJECTIVE: To examine trends in hospital admission for hip fracture in New South Wales between July 1990 and June 2000. DESIGN: Analysis of routinely collected hospital separation data. SETTING: Public and private acute-care hospitals in NSW. PARTICIPANTS: Admissions of patients aged 50 years and over with a primary diagnosis of fracture of the neck of femur (International classification of diseases, 9th revision [ICD-9] code 820 or ICD-10 codes S72.0-S72.2). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Number and rates of hospital admission for fracture of the neck of femur per 1000 population; inpatient mortality rates per 1000 admissions. RESULTS: Between July 1990 and June 2000, the number of admissions to NSW acute-care hospitals for hip fracture increased by 41.9% in men (from 1059 to 1503 per year) and by 31.2% in women (from 3160 to 4145 per year). However, age-specific and age-adjusted rates remained practically unchanged. The average length of stay for admissions for hip fracture decreased significantly from 19.2 days (95% CI, 18.5-19.8 days) in 1990-1991 to 14.2 days (95% CI, 13.8-14.6 days) in 1999-2000. No significant change was observed in the overall inpatient death rates per 1000 admissions. CONCLUSIONS: The findings support recent reports that the increase in hip fracture rates during most of the past century may have ended. However, the number of admissions for hip fracture is still rising. Preventive measures to reduce the burden of this condition on the healthcare system and community need to be pursued and strengthened.

Age Distribution↗

PubMed2004

Parental safety concerns--a barrier to sport and physical activity in children?

OBJECTIVE: To examine the extent to which parents and carers perceive injury and safety risks as serious enough to prevent or discourage their children, aged 5-12 years, from participating in sports/physical activity and to identify factors that influence these perceptions. METHODS: An analysis of the 2001 New South Wales Child Health Survey. RESULTS: More than one-quarter of parents/ carers of active children aged 5-12 years reported discouraging or preventing children from playing a particular sport (34.7% for boys and 16.6% for girls) because of injury and safety concerns. In boys, the most frequently discouraged sport was rugby league (23.2%), followed by rugby union (7.5%) and Australian rules football (2.8%). Among girls, the most frequently discouraged activities were rollerblading (2.7%), rugby league (2.3%) and soccer (2.1%). Multivariate analysis shows that factors independently associated with parents' decision to prevent/discourage their child from engaging in sport/physical activity include their child's age and gender, language spoken at home, presence of disability, and the respondent's relation to the child. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Efforts need to be made to modify some sports/ activities, such as football codes, in order to minimise injury and to ensure that children continue enjoying their favourite activity well into adulthood. Guidelines designed to promote physical activity among children and young adolescents need to take into account parental concerns regarding the associated risk of injury.

Child↗

PubMed2003

Impact of a chest-pain guideline on clinical decision-making.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of a chest-pain guideline on clinical decision-making and medium-term outcomes of patients presenting to a hospital emergency department (ED) with non-traumatic chest pain. DESIGN: Before-and-after guideline implementation study. SETTING: Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital, Sydney, NSW (454-bed metropolitan teaching hospital), in the six-month periods before and after guideline implementation in February 2001. PARTICIPANTS: Patients presenting to the ED with non-traumatic chest pain who had chest-pain assessment forms completed by ED doctors, comprising 422/768 (54.9%) of those presenting before and 461/691 (66.7%) after guideline implementation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Appropriateness of admission/discharge decisions compared with decision of senior cardiologist based on guideline; death, recurrent chest pain, ED re-presentation and hospital readmission in the ensuing three months. RESULTS: After guideline implementation, appropriate admission/discharge decisions increased significantly from 180/265 (68%) to 261/324 (81%) (difference, 13%; 95% CI, 6%-20%). The largest increase was for patients at moderate risk of death or acute myocardial infarction within six months, from 39/96 (38%) to 57/103 (55%) (difference, 18%; 95% CI, 4%-31%). Increases were seen for both junior doctors (interns and resident medical officers) (18%; 95% CI, 7%-30%) and senior doctors (11%; 95% CI, 2%-19%). Logistic regression showed that implementation of the guideline, seniority of assessing doctor and patient history of coronary disease were independent predictors of appropriate decisions. There was a significant decline in re-presentations to ED with recurrent chest pain in patients previously presenting with cardiac or possibly cardiac pain, from 46/201 (23%) before implementation to 32/247 (13%) after (difference, 210%; 95% CI, 217% to 23%). CONCLUSIONS: The chest-pain guideline resulted in a significant improvement in clinical decision-making in the ED and reduced re-presentations with cardiac/possibly cardiac chest pain.

Angina Pectoris↗

PubMed2003

Work-related injury in NSW hospitalisation and workers' compensation datasets: a comparative analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To undertake a comparative analysis of the New South Wales (NSW) Inpatient Statistics Collection (ISC) and Workers' Compensation Scheme Statistics (WCSS) for the 1999/2000 financial year in an attempt to evaluate their respective roles in the surveillance and monitoring of work-related injuries in NSW. METHODS: Work-related injuries in ISC were identified mainly by using the ICD-10 activity code and payment status and were compared with injury-related claims reported in WCSS. RESULTS: In 1990/2000, the majority of hospital separations for work-related injury involved males (86.2%) who came into contact with various objects, including machinery and tools, representing the most common mechanisms of injury, and open wounds and fractures of the upper and lower limbs as the most common injury nature/location. Injuries reported in the WCSS were also dominated by males (70%), with muscular stress while handling objects as the most common mechanism of injury and sprain and strain of the lower back as the leading nature/location of injury. The proportion of workers aged 15-19 years in the WCSS (1.2%) was over five times lower than the proportion of the same age group recorded in the ISC. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The analysis indicates that the ISC and WCSS complement each other in characterising the burden of work-related injuries in NSW. Linking compensation and outcomes data, including hospital admissions and emergency presentations, will provide a more comprehensive picture of the nature and the factors contributing to work-related injuries. Such data will inform policy and program development aimed at reducing the burden of this type of injury in the community.

Accidents, Occupational↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Epidemiology of scalds in vulnerable groups in New South Wales, Australia, 1998/1999 to 2002/2003.

In this study, the recently introduced International Classification of Disease, 10th revision, code for hot tap water scalds was used to examine the epidemiology of these cases and other scalds injuries in children younger than 5 years of age and adults aged 65 years and older. Although the trunk was the most common area in which scalds occurred, young children were more likely to sustain head and neck scalds (15%, 95% confidence interval 10.8-18.3) because of hot tap water than older people (2%, 95% confidence interval 0.2-4.4). Hospital separation rates for hot water scalds decreased significantly during the study period in both boys (chi(2) = 15.6, df = 1, P < .001) and girls (chi(2) = 5.6, df = 1, P < .001) who were younger than 5 years of age, which might be attributable to the introduction of new standards regulating the provision of hot tap water to various buildings. The severity of scalds cases did not seem to be correlated with the length of hospital stay, which remained unchanged in both age groups.

Accidents, Home↗