SKULL AND FACIAL INJURIES FROM THE NATIONAL HOSPITAL DISCHARGE SURVEY

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The purpose of this study was to do a trend analysis of the data on fired diagnosis of fractures of the skull & face bones (S & F fractures) from the National Hospital Discharge Survey, conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics, for the years 1981 through 1985. These data are collected on patients discharged from a national sample of short-stay general and specialty hospitals in the U.S. The data are coded according to ICD, 9th revision. Although detailed data on individual ICD codes are published yearly by the NCHS, the analysis undertaken here is previously unpublished. Results showed a declining trend in the estimated numbers of S & F fractures (ICD codes 800-803), which varied from 158,000 in 1981 to 120,000 in 1985. This paralleled, somewhat, the trend in estimated numbers of all fractures (ICD codes 800-829). S & F fractures as a percent of total fractures varied from 13.92 in 1981 to 10.59 in 1985. Although number of all fractures were approximately equal between the sexes, males had consistently more than twice as many S & F fractures as females. The age distribution of S & F fractures, was also consistent and was approximately as follows: 65% were in the age group of 15-44 yrs, 20% under 15yrs, 9% 45-64 yrs and 6% over 65 yrs. This study has shown that although there is a declining trend in the incidence of S & F fractures, males generally, and those between the ages of 15 and 44 years are in the high risk groups.