24.04.14
Dog bite hospital admissions highest in most deprived areas
Hospital admissions for dog bites are three times as high in the poorest areas of England compared to the least deprived, new figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) have shown.
In the 12 months to January 2014, the rate of hospital admissions for dog bites and strikes for people living in the 10% most deprived areas was 24.1 per 100,000 (1,240 admissions), compared to an admission rate of 8.1 per 100,000 (428 admissions) in the 10% least deprived areas.
An HSCIC map displaying the variations shows the highest rates were in Merseyside (281 admissions – 23.6 per 100,000 population), Durham, Darlington and Tees (269 admissions – 22.8 per 100,000), and West Yorkshire (498 admissions – 21.7 per 100,000).
In the 12 months to January 2014 there were 9,710 hospital admissions caused by dogs and other mammals – an increase of 7% on the previous 12-month period, when there were 9,080 admissions.
Of these, dog bites and strikes accounted for 6,740 admissions – an increase of 6% from the 6,370 admissions in the previous 12 month period. Bites and strikes by other mammals accounted for 2,970 admissions, a 10% increase from the 2,700 admissions the year before.
Kingsley Manning, chair of the HSCIC, said: “This is fascinating new data that we haven’t produced before. Our statistics also show that hospitals have dealt with more admissions for bites and strikes by mammals compared to last year.”
Focusing on dog bites, the report also revealed that admissions were highest in the summer months and the age group with the highest number of admissions was 0-9 year olds.
Overall, the most common diagnosis was an open wound of the wrist or hand. However, children suffered more injuries to their head than any other age group.
Manning concluded: “We know that dog bite rates are particularly high among young children. As we head towards the summer months, when admission rates for dog bites are at their highest, these trends may be worth further study by healthcare organisations and public sector bodies.”
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