NCJ Number
136928
Journal
Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine Volume: 83 Dated: (February 1990) Pages: 75-78
Date Published
1990
Length
4 pages
Annotation
A sample of 539 (455 men and 84 women) adult victims of assault who sought treatment in a major city hospital emergency room in the United Kingdom was studied to determine the pattern, severity, and etiology of their injuries.
Abstract
Facial injury was the most common, comprising 83 percent of all fractures, 66 percent of all lacerations, and 53 percent of all hematomas. The upper limb was the next most common site of injury, appearing in 14 percent of the cases. Twenty-six percent of the victims sustained at least one fracture, most commonly broken noses, followed by zygomatic, mandibular body, angle, and condyle fractures. Seventeen percent of the victims were admitted to the hospital. Overall, the type of injury correlated with the weapon used, even though one-fifth of the victims who reported attacks with sharp weapons suffered only hematomas or fractures. Injury most often resulted from punching (72 percent) and kicking (42 percent); victims who had been kicked most often required hospitalization. Six percent reported knife injuries, while 11 percent were injured by broken drinking glasses. 5 tables and 12 references