TY - JOUR
T1 - Reduction in health service use for whiplash injury after motor vehicle accidents in 2000-2009 : results from a defined population
AU - Berecki-Gisolf, Janneke
AU - Collie, Alex
AU - McClure, Rod
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Objective: To establish trends in whiplash-related health service use and cost in Victoria, Australia. Design: Administrative data analysis. Subjects: Whiplash patients claiming Transport Accident Commission (TAC) compensation for accidents dating between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2009 (n = 51,263). Methods: Injury-related health service use during one year following the accident was determined from claim payment records. The incidence of whiplash claims in Victoria was calculated, as were inflation-adjusted health care costs. Results: In 2000-2009, the incidence of compensable whiplash decreased from 1.56 to 1.14 per 1,000 person-years. Physiotherapy, pharmaceuticals, general practitioner, chiropractic, radiology and osteopathy sessions were the most commonly claimed services. General practitioner, allied health and radiology services decreased, but analgesic use increased. Per person-years in the population, whiplash related medical expenses were 71% greater for women than men. Overall, population burden decreased by 38%; the decline was most pronounced in persons aged 18-24 (54% decrease) and least pronounced in those aged ? 55 (23% decrease). Conclusion: The population-based health service cost of whiplash decreased between 2000 and 2009. The overall reduction was related to a decrease in incidence and a reduction in service use per whiplash claim.
AB - Objective: To establish trends in whiplash-related health service use and cost in Victoria, Australia. Design: Administrative data analysis. Subjects: Whiplash patients claiming Transport Accident Commission (TAC) compensation for accidents dating between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2009 (n = 51,263). Methods: Injury-related health service use during one year following the accident was determined from claim payment records. The incidence of whiplash claims in Victoria was calculated, as were inflation-adjusted health care costs. Results: In 2000-2009, the incidence of compensable whiplash decreased from 1.56 to 1.14 per 1,000 person-years. Physiotherapy, pharmaceuticals, general practitioner, chiropractic, radiology and osteopathy sessions were the most commonly claimed services. General practitioner, allied health and radiology services decreased, but analgesic use increased. Per person-years in the population, whiplash related medical expenses were 71% greater for women than men. Overall, population burden decreased by 38%; the decline was most pronounced in persons aged 18-24 (54% decrease) and least pronounced in those aged ? 55 (23% decrease). Conclusion: The population-based health service cost of whiplash decreased between 2000 and 2009. The overall reduction was related to a decrease in incidence and a reduction in service use per whiplash claim.
UR - https://hdl.handle.net/1959.7/uws:72883
U2 - 10.2340/16501977-1206
DO - 10.2340/16501977-1206
M3 - Article
SN - 0036-5505
VL - 45
SP - 1034
EP - 1041
JO - Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine
JF - Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine
IS - 10
ER -
