@article{ref1,
title="Assault-related admissions to hospital in Central Australia",
journal="Medical journal of Australia",
year="2002",
author="Williams, Ged F. and Chaboyer, Wendy P. and Schluter, Philip J.",
volume="177",
number="6",
pages="300-304",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To determine the number of assault-related admissions to hospital in the Central Australia region of the Northern Territory over a six-year period. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective analysis of all patients admitted to Alice Springs Hospital (ASH) and Tennant Creek Hospital (TCH) from July 1995 to June 2001, where the primary cause of injury was &quot;assault&quot;. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Frequency of assault-related admission to hospital; demographic characteristics of the victims. RESULTS: In the six years, there were 2449 assault-related admissions to ASH and 545 to TCH. Adults aged 25-34 years were most frequently hospitalised for assault, in a proportion greater than their proportion in the NT population. Females represented 59.7% of people admitted to ASH and 54.7% to TCH, greater than their proportion in the NT population. Aboriginals comprised 95.2% of ASH and 89.0% of TCH admissions, and were admitted in a significantly greater proportion than their proportion in the NT population (P < 0.001). The age-adjusted hospital admission rate resulting from assault has increased (P = 0.002) at an average rate of 1.6 (SE, 0.2) per 10 000 people per year. The proportion of assault-related admissions associated with alcohol has also increased significantly (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The frequency of assault-related admissions to hospital, especially among the Aboriginal population, suggests that this major public health issue is escalating.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0025-729X",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}