TY - JOUR AU - Martiniuk Alexandra AU - Houasia P. AU - Negin J. AU - Vizintin P. AB -

OBJECTIVE: To investigate tree-related injuries in Solomon Islands by the types of trees involved, who is affected and the types of injuries caused. DESIGN AND SETTING: Descriptive case series of all cases of injuries related to trees presenting to the National Referral Hospital in Honiara from 1994 to 2011. Data were collected by the attending clinician using a Trauma Epidemiology form, which provides information on age, sex, cause of injury and type of fracture. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Number of injuries by tree type, sex and age. RESULTS: Of the 7651 injuries in the database, 1107 (14%) were caused by falls from trees. Falls from coconut trees led to the highest number of injuries, followed by falls from mango, guava, apple and nut trees. Overall, 85% of injuries occurred in individuals aged < 20 years. For injuries involving guava trees, 77% of patients were aged < 10 years, compared with 46% for the five most commonly involved tree types. Overall, 71% of injuries occurred among males. Of all injuries, 92% were fractures, 3% were dislocations and 5% were non-fracture, non-dislocation injuries. The arm (including wrist, elbow and hand) was the most common location of injury across all tree types. Distal radius fractures in the forearm were particularly common, as were ulna fractures. CONCLUSION: While mangos and guavas are undeniably delicious, the quest for their flesh can be hazardous. Children will always climb trees, but the search for food among children in lower-income settings may lead to higher rates of injury.

AD - School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. joel.negin@sydney.edu.au.
School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
National Referral Hospital, Honiara, Solomon Islands.
Musculoskeletal Division, The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia. AN - 25495329 BT - Medical Journal of Australia DP - NLM ET - 2014/12/17 LA - eng LB - MSK M1 - 11 N1 - Negin, Joel
Vizintin, Pavle
Houasia, Patrick
Martiniuk, Alexandra L C
Australia
Med J Aust. 2014 Dec 11;201(11):698-700. N2 -

OBJECTIVE: To investigate tree-related injuries in Solomon Islands by the types of trees involved, who is affected and the types of injuries caused. DESIGN AND SETTING: Descriptive case series of all cases of injuries related to trees presenting to the National Referral Hospital in Honiara from 1994 to 2011. Data were collected by the attending clinician using a Trauma Epidemiology form, which provides information on age, sex, cause of injury and type of fracture. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Number of injuries by tree type, sex and age. RESULTS: Of the 7651 injuries in the database, 1107 (14%) were caused by falls from trees. Falls from coconut trees led to the highest number of injuries, followed by falls from mango, guava, apple and nut trees. Overall, 85% of injuries occurred in individuals aged < 20 years. For injuries involving guava trees, 77% of patients were aged < 10 years, compared with 46% for the five most commonly involved tree types. Overall, 71% of injuries occurred among males. Of all injuries, 92% were fractures, 3% were dislocations and 5% were non-fracture, non-dislocation injuries. The arm (including wrist, elbow and hand) was the most common location of injury across all tree types. Distal radius fractures in the forearm were particularly common, as were ulna fractures. CONCLUSION: While mangos and guavas are undeniably delicious, the quest for their flesh can be hazardous. Children will always climb trees, but the search for food among children in lower-income settings may lead to higher rates of injury.

PY - 2014 SN - 1326-5377 (Electronic)
0025-729X (Linking) SP - 698 EP - 700 T2 - Medical Journal of Australia TI - Barking up the wrong tree: injuries due to falls from trees in Solomon Islands VL - 201 ER -