Table 1 Baseline characteristics of patients

Age (Years)

31·06 ± 17·01

31·10 ± 18·19

0·97

Gender

 Male

336/ 617 (54·46%)

296/ 518 (57·14%)

0·36

 Female

281/ 617 (45·54%)

222/ 518 (42·86%)

Marital Status

 Married/ De-Facto

199/ 617 (32·25%)

168/ 518 (32·43%)

0·70

 Separated

29/ 617 (4·70%)

19/ 518 (3·67%)

 Widowed

16/ 617 (2·59%)

18/ 518 (3·47%)

 Never Married

373/ 617 (60·45%)

313/ 518 (60·42%)

Employment Status

 Employed

92/ 617 (14·91%)

89/ 518 (17·18%)

0·14

 Home Duties

31/ 617 (5·02%)

11/ 518 (2·12%)

 Pensioner

10/ 617 (1·62%)

10/ 518 (1·93%)

 Student

89/ 617 (14·42%)

75/ 518 (14·48%)

 Child Not at School

48/ 617 (7·78%)

53/ 518 (10·23%)

 Unemployed

250/617 (40·52%)

204/ 518 (39·38%)

 Not Stated

97 / 617 (15·72%)

76/ 518 (14·67%)

Place of Residence

 Alice Springs and Suburbs (Excluding Town Camps)

129/ 617 (20·91%)

127/ 518 (24·52%)

0·81

 Alice Springs Town-Camps

35/ 617 (5·67%)

32/ 518 (6·18%)

 Tennant Creek

56/ 617 (9·08%)

47/ 518 (9·07%)

 Communities < 50 km from Alice Springs

34/ 617 (5·51%)

24/ 518 (4·63%)

 Communities 51 – 100 km from Alice Springs

25/ 617 (4·05%)

17/ 518 (3·28%)

 Communities 101 – 300 km from Alice Springs

130/ 617 (21.07%)

99/ 518 (19·11%)

 Communities 301 – 500 km from Alice Springs

121/ 617 (19·61%)

110/ 518 (21·24%)

 Communities > 500 km from Alice Springs

66/ 617 (10·70%)

47/ 518 (9·07%)

 Outside of Catchment Area

21/ 617 (3·40%)

15/ 518 (2·90%)

Diagnosis

 Acute Injuries

  Fracture/ Dislocations

   Upper Limb Excluding Hands

85/ 617 (13·78%)

72/ 518 (13·90%)

0·44

   Hands

66/ 617 (10.70%)

47/ 518 (9·07%)

   Lower Limb Excluding Foot and Ankle

35/ 617 (5·67%)

40/ 518 (7·72%)

   Foot and Ankle

39/ 617 (6·32%)

39/ 518 (7·53%)

   Spine and Pelvis

3/ 617 (0·49%)

5/ 518 (0·97%)

  Lacerations With No Tendon Involvement

   Upper Limb

105/ 617 (17·01%)

81/ 518 (15·64%)

0·74

   Lower Limb

8/ 617 (1·30%)

10/ 518 (1·93%)

  Tendon Injuries

   Upper Limb

37/ 617 (6·00%)

19/ 518 (3·67%)

0·044*

   Lower Limb

5/ 617 (0·81%)

2/ 518 (0·39%)

  Infections

   Wound/ Soft Tissue Infection

124/ 617 (20·10%)

90/ 518 (17·37%)

0·15

   Surgical Site Infection

16/ 617 (2·59%)

2/ 518 (0·39%)

   Septic Arthritis

16/ 617 (2·59%)

21/ 518 (4·05%)

   Prosthetic Joint Infection

4/ 617 (0·65%)

1/ 518 (0·19%)

   Osteomyelitis

11/ 617 (1·78%)

10/ 518 (1·93%)

  Paediatric Conditions

   SCFE

1/ 617 (0·16%)

2/ 518 (0·39%)

0·30

   Perthe’s

1/ 617 (0·16%)

2/ 518 (0·39%)

   Others

12/ 617 (1·94%)

23/ 518 (4·44%)

  Elective

   Major

12/ 617 (1·94%)

17/ 518 (3·28%)

0·22

   Minor

37/ 617 (6·00%)

35/ 518 (6·76%)

Length of Stay (Days)

3·79 ± 6·21

3.76 ± 6.24

0·92