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Epidemiological patterns and preventability of traumatic hand amputations among adults in Greece.

TitleEpidemiological patterns and preventability of traumatic hand amputations among adults in Greece.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2013
AuthorsPanagopoulou, P., Antonopoulos C. N., Dessypris N., Kanavidis P., Michelakos T., & Petridou E. Th
JournalInjury
Volume44
Issue4
Pagination475-80
Date Published2013 Apr
ISSN1879-0267
KeywordsAccidents, Home, Age Distribution, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Amputation, Traumatic, Disabled Persons, Emergency Service, Hospital, Female, Finger Injuries, Greece, Hand Injuries, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Occupational Injuries, Population Surveillance, Risk Factors, Surveys and Questionnaires, Young Adult
Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Hand/finger amputations though rare account for significant disability and health-related costs; yet, information on underlying causes, springing mostly from physicians' reports, is rather anecdotal. We sought to draw attention to the high preventable fraction of hand/finger amputations among adults in Greece.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data on external cause of injury and short-term outcome, recorded over nine years in the Emergency Department Injury Surveillance System (EDISS) were analysed, whereas sample weights were used for nationwide extrapolations.
RESULTS: Hand/finger injuries accounted for 20.4% (N = 57,986) among 284,705 injuries recorded in patients >14-year-old (3% annual probability); 728 (1.3%) resulted in amputations; the estimated incidence rate (IR) was 39.3/100,000 person-years, reaching a high 92.6/100,000 among males aged 45-64 years. As expected, the vast majority of victims were males (90%), frequently young immigrants; ∼two-thirds sustained occupational injuries during working hours. Objects most frequently involved included: machinery (57% overall/69% occupational), means of transport (10.4%), materials (9.5%), parts of buildings/furniture (5%). Wood-working was the most common risk factor (20% overall/28% occupational) whereas 6% of victims accepted own inattention. 30% of amputations were hospitalised whereas 10% transferred to specialised units.
DISCUSSION: Specialised registries reveal the magnitude and specific causes of disabling hand injuries and point to tailored national injury prevention programs; specifically in Greece, as they occur in more controlled occupational environments among middle-aged males, woodworkers, and are caused mainly by machinery.
CONCLUSIONS: Increased management of safety in the workplace could play a role in reduction in hand amputations.

DOI10.1016/j.injury.2012.10.008
Alternate JournalInjury
PubMed ID23122997

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