OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there is an association between compensation factors and health care utilisation following major trauma. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective cohort study within a major metropolitan trauma centre in New South Wales. PARTICIPANTS: Major trauma patients aged > or = 18 years, admitted between May 1999 and April 2004. Patients were included if they had an accidental injury and an Injury Severity Score > 15. In total, 355 of 582 potentially contactable patients returned completed questionnaires (response rate, 61%). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Health care utilisation, defined as the number of times patients visited specified health care professionals (general practitioners, medical specialists, psychiatrists, physiotherapists, chiropractors and massage therapists) in the previous 3 months. For statistical analysis, health care utilisation was dichotomised into low and high (0-3 or > or = 4 health care visits over the previous 3 months). RESULTS: Health care utilisation was significantly higher for patients engaging the services of a lawyer (odds ratio, 3.3; 95% CI, 2.0-5.5; P < 0.001) after allowing for time since injury, chronic illness, presence of a head injury and employment status. Having a head injury and increased time since injury were significantly associated with lower health care utilisation, whereas being unemployed and having a chronic illness were associated with higher health care utilisation. CONCLUSION: Compensation-related factors are significant predictors of health care utilisation in a major trauma population.
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there is an association between compensation factors and health care utilisation following major trauma. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective cohort study within a major metropolitan trauma centre in New South Wales. PARTICIPANTS: Major traumapatients aged > or = 18 years, admitted between May 1999 and April 2004. Patients were included if they had an accidental injury and an Injury Severity Score > 15. In total, 355 of 582 potentially contactable patients returned completed questionnaires (response rate, 61%). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Health care utilisation, defined as the number of times patients visited specified health care professionals (general practitioners, medical specialists, psychiatrists, physiotherapists, chiropractors and massage therapists) in the previous 3 months. For statistical analysis, health care utilisation was dichotomised into low and high (0-3 or > or = 4 health care visits over the previous 3 months). RESULTS: Health care utilisation was significantly higher for patients engaging the services of a lawyer (odds ratio, 3.3; 95% CI, 2.0-5.5; P < 0.001) after allowing for time since injury, chronic illness, presence of a head injury and employment status. Having a head injury and increased time since injury were significantly associated with lower health care utilisation, whereas being unemployed and having a chronic illness were associated with higher health care utilisation. CONCLUSION: Compensation-related factors are significant predictors of health care utilisation in a major trauma population.
Authors: Pooria Sarrami; Rafael Ekmejian; Justine M Naylor; Joseph Descallar; Robindro Chatterji; Ian A Harris Journal: BMC Surg Date: 2016-11-21 Impact factor: 2.102
Authors: Bamini Gopinath; Nieke A Elbers; Jagnoor Jagnoor; Ian A Harris; Michael Nicholas; Petrina Casey; Fiona Blyth; Christopher G Maher; Ian D Cameron Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2016-05-20 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: Belinda J Gabbe; Pamela M Simpson; Peter A Cameron; Christina L Ekegren; Elton R Edwards; Richard Page; Susan Liew; Andrew Bucknill; Richard de Steiger Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2015-11-26 Impact factor: 2.692
Authors: Aila Nica Bandong; Andrew Leaver; Martin Mackey; Rodney Ingram; Samantha Shearman; Christen Chan; Ian D Cameron; Niamh Moloney; Rebecca Mitchell; Eoin Doyle; Emma Leyten; Trudy Rebbeck Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2018-08-08 Impact factor: 2.655