Hand injuries in Finland.

The study is based on patients with hand injuries treated in the casualty department of Turku University Central Hospital during the years 1971-75 and 1978; there were 4 800 of these patients annually. Hand injuries accounted for 26% of all accidents. Of these patients, 14% were younger than 15, 78% were of working age and only 8% were over 65. Of the adult patients, 3/5 were men. The average age of the men was 35 and of the women 45. Calculated on the basis of our material, the annual number of hand injuries requiring medical attention in Finland was 33 000/10(6) inhabitants. Most hand injuries among adults, 70%, occurred in the home, 28% at work and only some 3% in road accidents. Lacerations of varying degrees of severity constituted 45% of the injuries, fractures 26% and lesser contusions, excoriations and distortions 20%. There were relatively few serious injuries, e.g. 2% of the cases were nerve and tendon lesions; however, the actual workload caused by these injuries was considerable.