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Alcohol‐involved maxillofacial fractures
Author(s) -
Lee K,
Olsen J,
Sun J,
Chandu A
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
australian dental journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.701
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1834-7819
pISSN - 0045-0421
DOI - 10.1111/adj.12471
Subject(s) - medicine , facial trauma , intervention (counseling) , facial skeleton , binge drinking , interpersonal violence , alcohol intoxication , injury prevention , occupational safety and health , poison control , suicide prevention , surgery , psychiatry , emergency medicine , pathology
Background Alcohol‐related facial trauma is an increasingly prominent social problem and health hazard. Interpersonal violence ( IPV ) is often implicated in these trauma presentations and the facial skeleton frequently targeted. This paper examines the characteristics of admitted patients with alcohol‐related facial fractures. Methods Electronic data of patients assessed or treated for facial fractures from January 2012 to December 2014 at Western Health was obtained through the Clinical Record Department. Variables analysed include patient age and gender, fracture site(s), alcohol involvement, country of birth, injury mechanism and surgical intervention. Results Of 659 patient records analysed, 18% presentations had alcohol involvement. In the alcohol group, 88% were male, 44% in the 20–34 year age group, 41% suffered nasal fractures, 65% presented following IPV and 60% required surgery. Thirty‐seven per cent of patients were non‐Australians. Alcohol involvement was significantly correlated with gender, age group and fracture sites but not with surgical intervention or ethnic origin. Conclusions A binge drinking culture has contributed to prevalence of alcohol‐related trauma. This study reports alcohol involvement in facial fractures to have high predilection for gender, age group of patients and fracture location. Facial trauma frequently necessitates surgical intervention. Educational programmes should be implemented to raise awareness of this potentially preventable health burden among health providers.