Ethnic variations in traumatic injury hospitalisations in a health region of Aotearoa New Zealand-10-year review.

Abstract

Aim: To examine the ethnic variations in trauma hospitalisations in a health region of Aotearoa New Zealand over a 10-year period.

Methods: A retrospective, observational study utilised data from the Te Manawa Taki (TMT) regional trauma registry to identify individuals of all ages and injury severities who were hospitalised due to injuries between 2013 and 2022. This investigation focusses on the epidemiology of trauma, examining factors such as ethnicity, gender, Injury Severity Score (ISS) and injury characteristics.

Results: In the TMT region, out of the 60,753 trauma patients admitted to hospitals, the distribution across ethnic groups was as follows: 39,291 (64.7%) were European and other ethnic group, 18,015 (29.7%) were Māori, 1,998 (3.3%) were Asian and 1,411 (2.3%) were Pacific peoples. Notably, there were significant differences in incidence rates among these groups, with Māori exhibiting the highest rate. Moreover, males were more predisposed to hospitalisation due to trauma compared to females. This gender discrepancy was consistent across all ethnicities. Regardless of ethnicity, falls and road traffic crashes emerged as leading causes of trauma across all severity levels. Additionally, the primary location of injury varied depending on the severity of trauma. For high-severity cases, street and highways were the predominant sites, whereas homes were more commonly associated with low-severity admissions.

Conclusions: The study examines the incidence, demographic characteristics, severity and outcomes of trauma patients across various ethnic backgrounds admitted to hospitals within the TMT region of Aotearoa New Zealand over a decade. The disparities in injury rates among different ethnic groups underscore the substantial strain on the healthcare system. Pinpointing high-risk demographics and recognising these disparities will be instrumental in devising targeted prevention measures, enhancing access to culturally sensitive trauma services and advancing health equity.