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Fewer orbital fractures treated at St Vincent's Hospital after lockout laws introduced in Sydney
Author(s) -
Holmes Ryan F,
Lung Thomas,
Fulde Gordian WO,
Fraser Clare L
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/mja17.00564
Subject(s) - content (measure theory) , medicine , law , surgery , political science , mathematics , mathematical analysis
We reviewed the incidence of orbital fractures treated at St Vincent’s Hospital, the primary tertiary referral hospital in the lockout law zone, from 2 years before to 2 years after the laws were introduced (24 February 2012 e 23 February 2016). Cases were identified by recorded International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) codes for orbital fractures (online Appendix). Data on the age and sex of the patient, length of hospital stay, and fracture management plan were extracted and compared in a preepost analysis. We classified fractures as drugor alcoholrelated if blood alcohol levels exceeded 0.10 g/100 mL, if a positive result from a urine drug screen was recorded, or if the relevance of drugs or alcohol was clinically documented. Fractures were classified as violence-related if an alleged assault was clinically documented. Cost savings to the health system were estimated, based on 2014e15 Australian refined diagnosisrelated group cost weights and ambulance fees for transport to St Vincent’s Hospital (further details on cost estimates: online Appendix).