[Violence-related cases in the emergency ward. A 5-year follow-up of registrations made in 1981 and 1986 at the Esbjerg emergency department].

During six-month periods in 1981, 1986 and 1991 a prospective registration was made of all injuries caused by violence treated in the casualty ward of Esbjerg Hospital. The numbers of such contacts during these periods were 236 in 1981, 379 in 1986 and 509 in 1991. There were no differences between the three periods with respect to the following parameters: age, sex, civil status, place, types of lesions, need for further treatment and influence of alcohol. The total incidence rate rose between 1986 and 1991 from eight to nine per 1000 (not significant). The only significant increase was among females aged 15-19, where the incidence rose from 2.0 per 1000 in 1986 to 11.3 in 1991. Fourteen percent of the injured required hospitalization, occupying 1216 hospital bed days during the 1991 period.