Teenage hospital admissions

New analysis from the Health and Social Care Information Centre shows marked differences in what young people are treated for in hospital according to their age and gender.

While there is common ground in many of the most frequently recorded diagnoses and external causes, the report shows a much higher number of self-harm hospital cases among teenage girls than boys, and in contrast a higher number of cases among boys than girls resulting from assault.

In the 12 months to June 2013; there were 13,400 hospital cases where 15-19 year-old girls received treatment for an external cause of intentional self-harm, accounting for five percent of the total cases for this group. This compares to 4,000 cases among 15 to 19 year-old boys, or three percent of the total cases for this group).

In contrast, hospitals recorded 2,400 cases where 15 to 19 year-old boys required treatment due to an external cause of assault by bodily force, compared to 420 cases among girls of the same age.

The data, broken down by age, diagnosis and cause, along with summary information on outpatient appointments and A&E attendances, also shows that in the 12 months to June 2013:

  • There were 2.5million hospital cases for children aged 0 to 19, an increase of 0.1 percent on the previous 12 months; and
  • Boys had more hospital cases than girls in all age groups, except among 15 to 19-year-olds.

To download the full report visit www.hscic.gov.uk/catalogue/PUB11758.