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Dog bite hospital admissions triple in adults in last 20 years
Largest ever epi study into dog bites in UK
http://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-81527-7
Huge group effort, lots of thanks and love to my co-authors (below +
@SaraGarstecka & Roberto Vivancos)
Thread 1/n
Dog bite hospital admissions triple in adults in last 20 years
Largest ever epi study into dog bites in UK
http://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-81527-7
Huge group effort, lots of thanks and love to my co-authors (below +
@SaraGarstecka & Roberto Vivancos)
Thread 1/n
Background
Dog bites are big global health problem. (How many are there?)
Can lead to:
Severe injuries
Psychological trauma
Spread infectious diseases
Death
Dogs don't want to bite! Its their last resort, of many warning signs, that they're uncomfortable in a situation.
2/n
Dog bites are big global health problem. (How many are there?)
Can lead to:
Severe injuries
Psychological trauma
Spread infectious diseases
Death
Dogs don't want to bite! Its their last resort, of many warning signs, that they're uncomfortable in a situation.
2/n
Aims:
To understand trends in the number of people being admitted to English NHS hospitals for dog bites between 1998-2018.
To understand the demographics of the dog bite victims (ie who is being bitten and where)
3/n
To understand trends in the number of people being admitted to English NHS hospitals for dog bites between 1998-2018.
To understand the demographics of the dog bite victims (ie who is being bitten and where)
3/n
Results: Trends
Admissions rose from 6 dog bites/100k population/year in 1998 to 15 in 2018. An overall doubling!
Kids remained high (but unchanging) at ~14/100k
Adults tripled from 5 to 15!
4/n
Admissions rose from 6 dog bites/100k population/year in 1998 to 15 in 2018. An overall doubling!
Kids remained high (but unchanging) at ~14/100k
Adults tripled from 5 to 15!
4/n
Results: Who
25% were kids (0.5% less than 1 year old!!)
More males admitted than females
Female highest admissions: 5-9 years old & 35-64
Males: 5-14 years old
Higher admission in rural areas, & areas with higher levels of deprivation
80% of adults, 91% bitten at home
5/n
25% were kids (0.5% less than 1 year old!!)
More males admitted than females
Female highest admissions: 5-9 years old & 35-64
Males: 5-14 years old
Higher admission in rural areas, & areas with higher levels of deprivation
80% of adults, 91% bitten at home
5/n
Results: Where
Top 10 local authorities
24 bites/100k/year @KnowsleyCouncil
21 @MbroCouncil
20 @MyWakefield
20 @RedcarCleveland
20 @sthelenscouncil
18 @lpoolcouncil
18 @BucksCouncil
17 @WodcNews
17 @NewcastleCC
16 @gateshead
Lowest all in London
6/n
Top 10 local authorities
24 bites/100k/year @KnowsleyCouncil
21 @MbroCouncil
20 @MyWakefield
20 @RedcarCleveland
20 @sthelenscouncil
18 @lpoolcouncil
18 @BucksCouncil
17 @WodcNews
17 @NewcastleCC
16 @gateshead
Lowest all in London
6/n
Results: Costs
Based on:
Estimated A&E attendance numbers
Cost of non-elective inpatient admission
Cost of A&E attendance
In 2017-2018
Dog bite admissions = £25mill
Dog bite A&E attendance = £46 mill
Likely to be large underestimates, as many people will need surgery
7/n
Based on:
Estimated A&E attendance numbers
Cost of non-elective inpatient admission
Cost of A&E attendance
In 2017-2018
Dog bite admissions = £25mill
Dog bite A&E attendance = £46 mill
Likely to be large underestimates, as many people will need surgery
7/n
Conclusions:
Dog bites in kids stayed high but similar, is this due to successful injury prevention strategies?
Adults have tripled, esp in middle-aged women. Why? We don't know!
Dog bites pose a huge cost to peoples lives as well as the NHS
8/n
Dog bites in kids stayed high but similar, is this due to successful injury prevention strategies?
Adults have tripled, esp in middle-aged women. Why? We don't know!
Dog bites pose a huge cost to peoples lives as well as the NHS
8/n
Limitations:
Data provide nothing on context of the bite
Reliant on hospital coding
Cost method is broad and crude
No calculations for other health care or indirect costs
Data present only the tip of the iceberg as only the most severe bites would be admitted to a hospital
9/n
Data provide nothing on context of the bite
Reliant on hospital coding
Cost method is broad and crude
No calculations for other health care or indirect costs
Data present only the tip of the iceberg as only the most severe bites would be admitted to a hospital
9/n
Summary:
We
our dogs, but they can always pose an injury risk
Our study shows a large increase in admissions, and we need to understand why this is occurring
These are preventable injuries, more work is needed to stop them!
10/n
We
our dogs, but they can always pose an injury riskOur study shows a large increase in admissions, and we need to understand why this is occurring
These are preventable injuries, more work is needed to stop them!
10/n
What next?
Decide who is targeted with injury prevention strategies
Explore whether the same trends & demographics are seen in other health care settings
Gain awareness spotting the warning signs that a dog is uncomfortable.
Excellent work by https://merseydogsafe.co.uk/
11/n
Decide who is targeted with injury prevention strategies
Explore whether the same trends & demographics are seen in other health care settings
Gain awareness spotting the warning signs that a dog is uncomfortable.
Excellent work by https://merseydogsafe.co.uk/
11/n
Some supplementary findings:
Most common injury to a child was an open wound to the head (70%)
For adults, open wounds to wrist and hands (39%), head (14%), and lower leg (6%)
12/n
Most common injury to a child was an open wound to the head (70%)
For adults, open wounds to wrist and hands (39%), head (14%), and lower leg (6%)
12/n
More supplementary findings:
Admissions peaked in July and August
No trend in lunar cycle
Ie Dogs do not bite more on the full moon!
13/n
Admissions peaked in July and August
No trend in lunar cycle
Ie Dogs do not bite more on the full moon!
13/n
Thanks to making it to the end of the thread!
There's lots of other findings in the paper and a big discussion about what could be causing the increase.
Have a read here if you want to know more:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-81527-7
Fin
There's lots of other findings in the paper and a big discussion about what could be causing the increase.
Have a read here if you want to know more:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-81527-7
Fin
