USING RADIOLOGY RECORDS TO IMPROVE EPIDEMIOLOGIC INFORMATION IN PEDIATRIC FRACTURES - A FEASIBILITY STUDY

Objectives: To assess the feasibility of using routine computerised ra diology records for community injury surveillance data using fractures in the child population as an example. Design: Radiology and in-patie nt computerised files were accessed to extract information concerning type of fracture, age, sex, and home address. Diagnostic coding of rad iological reports was carried out using the ICD-9 classification. Chil dren were assigned to local authority wards using home postcodes deriv ed from home addresses. Ward fracture rates were calculated using 1991 census data. The association between ward fracture rates and deprivat ion was explored using Townsend scores. Setting: North Tyneside Genera l Hospital. Subjects. Children aged 10-14y receiving care as in-patien ts or out-patients for long-bone fractures. Results: Between April 199 1 and March 1996 a total of 497 long-bone fractures were identified. F ractures in boys exceeded those in girls by a ratio of 2 : 1. The most common fracture identified was of the radius and ulna. There was no e vidence of an ecological association between long-bone fracture rates in children aged 10-14y and social deprivation. Conclusions. Computeri sed radiological records may be used to improve epidemiological inform ation concerning fractures. However, at present, considerable time and effort is required to access the information, to identify and to clas sify, long-bone fractures. Such data could be used to assist in the au dit of clinical care and long-term outcomes, and to inform effective l ocal planning and evaluation of injury prevention initiatives.