A new Norwegian Injury Registration System as a starting point to assess the burden of injuries in Norway

Abstract

Abstract Introduction The police register is the main database for monitoring traffic injuries. A study made by Safe Traffic in Norway found that only one of three severe traffic injuries is registered in this register. For giving more complete data, a health-based injury monitoring system was established in 2022 for a period of five years, financed by the traffic safety authorities. Methods An Injury Minimum Data Set (MDS) is collected from all injuries that are treated in ten hospitals and seven municipality AEDs in the primary health care, a representative sample of all medically treated injuries in Norway. By recording the unique birth number of the patient, double registrations are deleted. When fully developed, this system will register about 50 % of all injuries treated in the hospitals as in- and out-patients, and about 10 % of all injuries in the primary health care system in Norway. Max AIS (Abbreviated Injury Scale) and diagnosis (ICD-10 - hospitals, and ICPC-2 - primary health care) are among the registered variables for each injury. Based on the ICD-10 codes, long term disability weights (DW) can be calculated (Gabbe et al 2014). Then the injury burden of injuries in Norway can be shown by: 1) Threat to life: a) minor (AIS 1), b) moderate (AIS 2) and c) serious, (AIS 3+, including AIS 4-6). 2) Threat of disability: a) low, b) medium and c) high probability of long-term disability. Results Data from 2023 seems to be complete enough to enable calculations of the annual injury burden in Norway. Future work There is a need to establish internationally agreed disability weights to enable comparisons across countries. And to establish conversions from ICPC-2 codes to ICD-10 codes for enabling calculations of DWs of injuries treated in the primary health system.