Incidence and outcomes of major trauma in New Zealand: findings from a feasibility study of New Zealand’s first national trauma registry

Aims: The aim of the study was to pilot the feasibility of long-term outcomes data collection from adult major trauma survivors in New Zealand. This initial paper aims to characterise the New Zealand major trauma population in terms of long-term disability and functional outcomes after major trauma.

Methods: A prospective cohort study of adults who had survived major trauma was conducted between June 2015 and December 2016 at two major trauma centres in Auckland.

Results: Of 256 trauma referrals, 112 (44%) were confirmed eligible and consented. One hundred completed the survey at six months and 83 at 12 months. A majority of the study sample were male (72%), under 65 years (84%), with a disproportionally higher number of Māori in the sample (23%). At six months post-injury, the majority of participants were categorised as experiencing either moderate disability (37%) or good recovery (42%). Half of the participants experienced moderate pain at both 6 and 12 months post-injury (50% and 52% respectively), and problems with their usual activities at six months post-injury (51%).

Conclusions: Most study participants made a good recovery, but there was still a large group of people experiencing disability, pain and not in paid employment at 12 months post-injury.