Hospital admissions research

18 July 2008

The numbers of emergency hospital admissions, caused by violence, have risen 30% in four years across England, according to a study by LJMU's Centre for Public Health, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

The figures also show a sixfold difference in rates between those living in the most affluent and most deprived areas of the country.

The research team analysed the number of emergency admissions to hospitals across England between 2002 and 2006. During this period more than 120,000 people were admitted as an emergency, as a direct result of violence.

Rates of admission increased by just under 30% during the four years. Admissions for violent assault peaked on Saturdays and Sundays, with around one in five of the total admitted on each of these days.

Higher rates of admission were seen among those living in areas of deprivation. Rates in the most deprived areas were over six times higher than those in the most affluent areas.

Differences between affluent and deprived areas were already established in those under 15, with children in the poorest fifth of the country being five times more likely to be admitted due to violent assault compared with those in the most affluent fifth.

When the figures were broken down further, they showed that men were almost six times as likely to be admitted as a result of violent assault, with most of the cases in the 15 to 29 age range.

At least 2.5 million people in England and Wales are the victims of violence every year, say the authors, adding that violence against the person was estimated to cost £24.4 billion in 2003 alone, of which £2.2 billion was picked up by the NHS.

"The direct contribution violence makes to health inequalities is likely to be significant, with around 30,000 mainly poorer individuals requiring emergency hospital admissions each year and 10 times that number presenting to A&E," they comment.

Referring to the numbers of young people in their figures, they conclude: "Such violence is not only destructive to short and long term health, but also acts as an incubator for the development of violent adults and those more likely to be abused in later life."

To download a copy of the paper 'Contribution of violence to health inequalities in England: Demographics and trends in emergency hospital admissions for assault' (Online First J Epidemiol Comm Health 2008; doi 10.1136/jech.2007.017589), click here: http://press.psprings.co.uk/jech/july/ch71589.pdf