National Hospital Morbidity Database (national + hospital_morbidity_database)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


The epidemiology of cannabis use and cannabis-related harm in Australia 1993,2007

ADDICTION, Issue 6 2010
Amanda Roxburgh
ABSTRACT Aims To examine trends in patterns of cannabis use and related harm in the Australian population between 1993 and 2007. Design Analysis of prospectively collected data from: (1) the National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS) and Australian Secondary Student Alcohol and Drug Survey (ASSADS); (2) the National Hospital Morbidity Database (NHMD); and (3) the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services National Minimum Dataset (AODTS-NMDS). Participants Australians aged 14 years and over from the general population; students aged 12,17 years; public and private hospital in-patients; public and private in-patients and out-patients attending for drug treatment. Measurement Prevalence of 12-month cannabis use among the general population and secondary students. Proportions in the general population by age group reporting: daily cannabis use; difficulties in controlling cannabis use; and heavy cannabis use on each occasion. Number of hospital and treatment presentations for cannabis-related problems. Findings Prevalence of past-year cannabis use has declined in the Australian population since the late 1990s. Among those reporting past-year use, daily use is prevalent among 40,49-year-olds, while heavy patterns of use are prevalent among 14,19-year-olds. Hospital presentations for cannabis-related problems reflect similar trends. Past-year cannabis use has decreased among the 10,19-year age group, but those who are daily users in this age group report using large quantities of cannabis. Conclusions Despite declines in the prevalence of cannabis use, continued public health campaigns warning of the harms associated with cannabis use are essential, aimed particularly at users who are already experiencing problems. The increasing demand for treatment for cannabis problems in Australia suggests the need for more accessible and more effective interventions for cannabis use disorders. [source]


Indigenous children and receipt of hospital dental care in Australia

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRIC DENTISTRY, Issue 5 2006
L. M. JAMIESON
Summary., Objective., The aim of this study was to investigate dental procedures received under hospital general anaesthetic by indigenous and non-indigenous Australian children in 2002,2003. Methods., Separation data from 1297 public and private hospitals were obtained from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare National Hospital Morbidity Database for 2002,2003. The dependant variable was the admission rate of children receiving four categories of dental care (i.e. extraction, pulpal, restoration or other). The explanatory variables included sex, age group, indigenous status and location (i.e. major city, regional or remote). Rates were calculated using estimated resident population counts. Results., The sample included 24 874 children aged from 2 to 14 years. Some 4·3% were indigenous (n = 1062). Admission rates for indigenous and non-indigenous children were similar, with indigenous males having 1·2 times the admission rate of indigenous females (P < 0·05). Indigenous children aged < 5 years had 1·4 times the admission rate of similarly aged non-indigenous children (P < 0·001) and 5·0 times the admission rate of 10,14-year-old indigenous children (P < 0·001). Remote-living indigenous children had 1·5 times the admission rate of their counterparts in major cities or regional areas (P < 0·001), and 1·4 times the admission rate of remote-living non-indigenous children (P < 0·01). The extraction rate of indigenous males was 1·3 times that of non-indigenous males (P < 0·01), and 1·2 times that of indigenous females (P < 0·05). Pre-school indigenous children had 2·2 times the extraction rate of similarly aged non-indigenous children (P < 0·001), and 5·3 times that of indigenous 10,14-year-olds (P < 0·001). The extraction rate of remotely located indigenous children was 1·5 times that of indigenous children in major cities (P < 0·01), and 1·8 times that of remote-living non-indigenous children (P < 0·001). Conclusions., In certain strata , particularly males, the very young and those in remote locations , indigenous children experienced higher rates of extractions than non-indigenous children when undergoing care in a hospital dental general anaesthetic setting. [source]


Hysterectomy trends in Australia , between 2000/01 and 2004/05

AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY, Issue 2 2010
Erin L. HILL
Background:, Hysterectomy is a major and common surgical procedure that has the potential to provide relief from ongoing gynaecological problems, but is often associated with negative impacts on health and wellbeing. Research indicates that hysterectomy rates and trends vary widely between and within countries; yet little is known about patterns in Australia. Aims:, This research aimed to describe hysterectomy rates and trends in Australia between 2000/01 and 2004/05. Methods:, This repeat cross-sectional study used routinely collected data from all hospitals in Australia. Data on all women admitted to hospital for a hysterectomy were obtained from the National Hospital Morbidity Database (2000/01,2004/05). Data were analysed by calculating population rates for each type of hysterectomy. Incidence rate ratios were calculated to assess changes over time. Results:, Hysterectomy rates in Australia declined from 34.8 per 10 000 women in 2000/01 to 31.2 per 10 000 women in 2004/05. A decline in the incidence rate for abdominal hysterectomy (from 18.7 to 15.1 per 10 000 women) and the incidence rate for concurrent oophorectomy (from 12.4 to 11.3 per 10 000 women) were also observed during this time period. At each point in time, the highest incidence rates for hysterectomy were for women aged 45,54 years. Conclusions:, Hysterectomy rates in Australia are declining over time and currently appear to be lower than most other countries. More hysterectomies are performed vaginally than in Canada, the USA, the UK and Finland and the rate of concurrent oophorectomy is less than that reported in the USA and the UK. [source]


Hospital admissions of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians due to interpersonal violence, July 1999 to June 2004

AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 3 2009
Jesia G. Berry
Abstract Objective: To compare the incidence of injury-related hospitalisations and the injury profiles for interpersonal violence, in the Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations of Australia. Method: Descriptive analysis of the National Hospital Morbidity Database (NHMD), using data for the Northern Territory, Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland for the period 1 July 1999 to 30 June 2004. Results: Indigenous people were twice as likely as non-Indigenous people to be hospitalised for injury (age-standardised rate ratio [SRR] 2.26, 95% CI 2.24,2.29), and had a 17-fold greater hospitalisation rate for interpersonal violence (SRR, 16.9, 95% CI 16.6,17.3). Indigenous males and females were most commonly injured by a family member or intimate partner and females constituted 54% of Indigenous cases. Most non-Indigenous cases were males (82%), most commonly injured by stranger(s). Head injuries by bodily force were the most frequent injuries. Age-standardised hospitalisation rates of interpersonal violence increased with remoteness of usual residence for Indigenous people and, less so, for others. Conclusion: The largest differential between Indigenous and non-Indigenous injury-related hospitalisations was for interpersonal violence, particularly for women. About half the excess morbidity from interpersonal violence among Indigenous people is due to factors associated with remote living. Implications: Culturally appropriate interventions that tackle a wide range of social and economic issues are needed to mitigate Indigenous interpersonal violence. [source]