Impact of the economic recession on the etiology of maxillofacial fractures in Greece

Objective The global economic crisis and the subsequent austerity measures taken in Greece in 2010 have moved the country to the epicenter of a financial storm with negative effects on the national health sector and all aspects of social life. Methods Records of patients admitted for treatment of maxillofacial fractures in two different periods of time were used in this study. Data concerning the etiology of fractures from 2006 to 2009 were compared with data from 2010 to 2013 to investigate whether the economic recession has significantly influenced the causality of trauma. Results and Conclusion Our study demonstrates that the rate of facial fractures caused by motor vehicle accidents before the worsening of the crisis was significantly reduced in the period after 2010 but that the incidence of fractures due to interpersonal violence increased during the period of the severe economic crisis. We discuss the reasons that may have led to these changing patterns of trauma.