An analysis of reported dog bites: Reporting issues and the impact of unowned animals.

The authors investigated the epidemiology of dog bites in a large city by analyzing dog bite data from the period 1995 through 1997, The following data pertaining to victims sere studied: gender, race, age, residing health district, exposure date, reporting date, duration between exposure and reporting (lag time), reporting agency hospitalization, treatment, and location of bite. Data pertaining to the dogs-breed and ownership status-also were considered. Male victim bite rates increased 21 percent over the three-par period, possibly because of an increase in stray dogs. Medical centers reported the majority of bites (58 to 68 percent). The mean lag time for the period ranged From 4.4 to 5.6 days, During 1997, the lag time was lower For owned dogs (4.0 days) than for stray dog (5.2 days) (p <.001). Lag time in 1997 also was lower for victims five to nine years of age (4.1 days) than for victims 15 to 19 years of age (6.3 days) (p=.006), Dog bites continue to increase dramatically The investigators identified several reporting characteristics to which attention should be paid so that dog bites can be reduced, along with the public health ha:ards they presentIn: Journal of Environmental Health, vol. 62, nr. 8, pp. 17-21, 4/2000The authors investigated the epidemiology of dog bites in a large city by analyzing dog bite data from the period 1995 through 1997, The following data pertaining to victims sere studied: gender, race, age, residing health district, exposure date, reporting date, duration between exposure and reporting (lag time), reporting agency hospitalization, treatment, and location of bite. Data pertaining to the dogs-breed and ownership status-also were considered. Male victim bite rates increased 21 percent over the three-par period, possibly because of an increase in stray dogs. Medical centers reported the majority of bites (58 to 68 percent). The mean lag time for the period ranged From 4.4 to 5.6 days, During 1997, the lag time was lower For owned dogs (4.0 days) than for stray dog (5.2 days) (p <.001). Lag time in 1997 also was lower for victims five to nine years of age (4.1 days) than for victims 15 to 19 years of age (6.3 days) (p=.006), Dog bites continue to increase dramatically The investigators identified several reporting characteristics to which attention should be paid so that dog bites can be reduced, along with the public health ha:ards they presentOnderzoeksbibliografie Frank OdbergHerkomst: Onderzoeksbibliografie van em. prof. dr. Frank O. Ödberg, verbonden aan de Vakgroep Voeding, Genetica en Ethologie van de Faculteit Diergeneeskund