Variations in admissions to hospital for head injury and assault to the head - Part 2: ethnic group

This study retrospectively investigated variations in the use of secondary healthcare for head injury, particularly assault. A total of 25 300 emergen cy head-related admissions were examined over a two-year period, of which 3 756 were assaults. There were seasonal differences according to ethnic group: far more injurie s, particularly assault, occurred amongst the black and minority ethnic gro ups during the summer months and holidays. Black males had two to three tim es the rate of admission for assault than any other group. Among whites, fe males stayed longer in hospital after a head injury. White women stayed sig nificantly longer than South Asian women following a head injury and South Asian men stayed significantly longer than white men after an assault. There are substantial seasonal variations and differences in the length of hospital stay after a head injury, particularly assault, depending on ethni c group. These differences require clarification and more detailed studies of head injuries ought to record the patient's ethnic background.