The Validity of Injury Surveillance System Measures of Assault

Abstract

This article considers the validity of estimates of intentional violence using a statewide injury recording system: the Alaska Trauma Registry (ATR). One benefit of using data from an injury surveillance system is that its records are generated without police involvement, thereby reducing the likelihood of undercounting. However, there is reason to suspect that measures of violence derived from injury surveillance systems do not accurately measure underlying levels of assault in a population and are instead partly a reflection of influential patient characteristics. The ATR was used to compare assault injury cases of Alaska Natives with those of non-Natives to determine if patient characteristics varied between racial groups and to determine if those characteristics served to bias comparisons of injury rates. Results indicate that differences in assault injury rates are partly attributable to a greater proportion of Alaska Native patients being hospitalized for injuries of only minor or moderate severity.

Intentional injury hospitalizations in geographical areas with a high percentage of Aboriginal-identity residents, 2004/2005 to 2009/2010

“…Future research could examine injury severity, as there is some evidence that severity may differ between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations. 9,43 Approximately 70% of inpatient hospitalizations for self-inflicted injuries also include a mental illness diagnosis, 15 suggesting the importance of future research examining co-morbidities, as mental health has been linked to self-inflicted injury hospitalizations. 36 Research should also examine areabased socio-economic conditions as well as individual risk behaviours as factors associated with both intentional injuries and hospitalizations.…”

Serious Assault Victim and Incident Characteristics Associated With Police Notification and Treatment in Emergency Rooms in Rural, Suburban, and Urban Areas

“…Kushel, Perry, Bangsberg, Clark, and Moss (2002) pointed out that injuries from violent crimes are suitable for emergency care because they require urgent attention, often occur where other treatment is not available, and in serious instances require services that are not available in nonemergency sites. This immediate need for medical treatment will likely outweigh factors that prevent victims from reporting to the police (Wood, 2010). Even offenders report going to the hospital 90% of the time to seek medical treatment when they are seriously injured (May, Hemenway, & Hall, 2002).…”

Hospitalisations pour blessures intentionnelles dans les régions à fort pourcentage de résidents d'identité autochtone, 2004-2005 à 2009-2010

“…Il est aussi possible que certaines blessures auto-infligées aient été classées comme indéterminées, ce qui entraînerait une sousestimation du taux réel d'hospitalisation pour blessures 41 Cette étude est la première au Canada à aborder les hospitalisations pour blessures intentionnelles par cause selon l'identité autochtone prédominante dans chaque région. À l'avenir, des recherches pourraient porter sur la gravité de ces blessures, car certaines données indiquent que cette gravité pourrait varier entre les populations autochtones et non autochtones 9,43 . Étant donné qu'environ 70 % des personnes hospitalisées pour blessures auto-infligées avaient reçu un diagnostic de maladie mentale 15 , il serait important que les recherches à venir prennent en considération les comorbidités, puisque des troubles de santé mentale ont été associés aux hospitalisations pour blessures autoinfligées 36 .…”