The epidemiology of sports and leisure-related injury hospitalisations in Queensland: A five-year review

Objective: To describe the epidemiology of sports and leisure-related injury hospitalisations in Queensland Design, setting, and patients: Retrospective analysis of routinely collected hospital admissions data from all Queensland hospitals (public and private) between 2012 and 2016 for injury-related admissions where the activity engaged in when injured was coded as sports or leisure activity. Main outcome measures: Number of hospitalisations; rate of hospitalisation per 100,000 population and demographic, injury, treatment, and outcome details of hospitalised injury patients. Results: Between 01 January 2012 and 31 December 2016, 76,982 people were hospitalised for a sports or leisure-related injury in Queensland. More people were hospitalised in public hospitals than private. Rates were highest for those under 14 years (601.5/100,000 population) and were higher in males (130.6/100,000 population) than females (28.9/100,000 population). A total of 18,734 injuries (24.3%; 79.5/100,000 population) were sustained while playing team ball sports, with rugby codes (rugby union, rugby league and rugby unspecified) representing the single largest source of injuries with 6,592. The extremities were the most likely body location of injury (46,644; 198/100,000 population), and the most common injury type was a fracture (35,018; 148.6/100,000 population). Conclusions: The findings highlight the significant burden of sport and leisure-related injury hospitalisations in Queensland. This information is important for injury prevention and trauma system planning.