Margaret Judd

Clinical and bioarchaeological studies have found that injury recidivists are most likely to be young adult males. Our study sought to place these findings in a wider context by investigating: the age and sex distribution of those with single and multiple fractures, and if people with multiple injuries had poor general health. The sample of 205 males and 197 females (> 18 years old) from six populations in England, Siberia and Sudan ranged in date from the 3rd century BC to the mid-19th century AD. Health variables included cribra orbitalia, porotic hyperostosis, periostitis, Schmorl’s nodes, enamel hypoplasias, dental caries and periodontitis. Ante-mortem injuries were: fractures (0/1/>2), myostosis ossificans, dental trauma, dislocation and subluxation, and sharp-force injuries. The data were analysed using chi-square (P=0.05) and hierarchical loglinear analyses.
The results failed to find a signi ficant three-way association between age, sex and injury. There was no difference between the sexes when individuals with single versus multiple injuries were compared. There were significant differences in the age-distribution of people with 0/1/>2 fractures, but no difference between those with 1 or >2 fractures. Males and those 26-35 years old were most likely to have fractures and multiple injuries. Health variables that were significantly associated with a fracture were porotic hyperostosis, periostitis and enamel hypoplasias. However, there was no significant relationship between general poor health and multiple injuries.