University of Queensland researchers are examining the long-term effects of serious childhood injuries.
Each year a substantial number of Queensland children die or require hospital treatment as a result of injury.
“Currently there is little information on the health and well-being of injured children and their families after they leave hospital,” said researcher Tamzyn Davey from UQ’s Centre of National Research on Disability and Rehabilitation Medicine (CONROD).
CONROD’s Queensland Trauma Registry (QTR) collects data on injured children requiring treatment at the Royal Children’s or Mater Children’s Hospitals in Brisbane.
QTR, in collaboration with the Australian Centre for Prehospital Research, is currently sending questionnaires to the parents of children who were added to QTR’s database after being admitted to one of the hospitals between May 2000 and October 2001.
“We hope that parents who receive a questionnaire will complete it and return it to us because every response is valued in this important project,” Ms Davey said.
“It is possible that the quality of life of children who have sustained a serious injury will be poorer than those of other children.
“Information about the long-term effects of such injuries may lead to recommendations for change in the treatment and follow up of such patients.
“This will help reduce the impact of the injury and thus reduce the negative outcomes of childhood injury”.
Situated at UQ’s Mayne Medical School in Herston, QTR is funded by the Motor Accident Insurance Commission and Queensland Health.
Media: for further information, contact CONROD’s Dr Desley Kassulke (telephone 07 3365 5344, fax 07 3346 4603) or Joanne van Zeeland at UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 2619 or email communications@uq.edu.au).
