Rate of facial wounds 'much higher among poorest Scots'

Young men from deprived areas were found to be more at risk

Men from Scotland's deprived areas are almost seven times more likely to suffer serious facial wounds than those in wealthier areas, a study suggests.

The Glasgow University Dental School report found injuries to the face and neck were commonly drink-related.

The researchers found that between 2001 and 2006, more than 82,000 people suffered facial scars in Scotland.

In their report, The Scar on the Face of Scotland, the authors said the issue must be tackled with joined-up action.

Dr David Conway, Dr Christine Goodall and Dr Alex McMahon, writing in the Journal of Trauma, said poverty was the major factor in severe facial injuries and that young men from low socio-economic backgrounds were most at risk.

'Societal scar'

According to the report, between 2001 and 2006, there were 82,461 patients in a severe enough condition to be admitted to Scottish hospitals with a facial injury.

The paper claims the annual cost of alcohol misuse to Scottish society is an estimated £2.25bn, with the cost to the National Health Service in Scotland put at £405m.

Dr Conway said: "The costs to society and the health service are high, but the cost to individuals health is great.

"Facial injuries produce significant and nasty facial scars - but the fact that this is determined by your postcode and how deprived the area you live in is a societal scar for all of us.

"Those from the most deprived areas were almost seven times more likely to have such an injury as their affluent counterparts."

He added: "Men were over five times more likely to have such an injury, and those in the youngest age-group, 15-19 years, were around one-tenth more likely."

'Repeat injury'

The study also highlights a recent run of 249 patients from a Scottish trauma unit which found about 80% of their facial injuries were alcohol-related.

Dr Goodall said one way to address the problem is to offer counselling when patients attend A&E or facial trauma clinics.

She said: "We know from previous work in Glasgow that 25% of facial trauma patients will sustain another alcohol related injury in the future.

"Brief alcohol counselling sessions have been shown to be effective in helping facial trauma patients to cut down their drinking both by ourselves and by other groups around the country."

The authors said the issue of deprivation must also be tackled to address the problem, and that the wider health problems caused by excess alcohol must also be confronted.