Ethnic variation in hospitalisation due to treatment injury and complications of healthcare in older adults residing in New Zealand

Abstract

Aim: To describe the incidence, characteristics, and ethnic variation of hospitalisations for treatment injury and complications of medical or surgical care in older adults in two regions of Aotearoa New Zealand. Methods: This observational study analysed treatment-related hospital admissions (>24 hours; index injury from primary or secondary care) among older adults (>50 years) between 2014–2018 in Lakes and Bay of Plenty District Health Boards. Among all admissions due to a treatment injury (n=296) or a complication of healthcare (n=13,850), age-standardised incidence rates per 100,000 were determined by ethnicity and age group. Results: The rates of admissions for treatment injuries were 30% lower among non-Māori than among Māori (New Zealand’s Indigenous population). Complications of healthcare admissions rates were 43% lower among non-Māori than in Māori. Medications were the most common cause (54%) of healthcare complications. Rates of treatment injury and healthcare complications increased with age for both Māori and non-Māori, until the age of 80 years. Conclusion: Ethnic variation in treatment injuries and complications of healthcare between Māori and non-Māori provide further evidence of the existence of inequities in access to quality healthcare in New Zealand. Transparent, publicly available national monitoring of treatment injuries and complications, disaggregated by age and ethnicity, is recommended.