Orbital infection in New Zealand: increased incidence due to socioeconomic deprivation and ethnicity

Aim This study aimed to identify the relationship between the incidence of orbital infection, ethnicity and socioeconomic deprivation in New Zealand. Method Cases admitted to all public hospitals in New Zealand with the ICD-10 diagnosis of acute inflammation of the orbit for a 9-year period were retrieved from the National Minimum Data Set. Incidence rates of acute infection of the orbit were correlated with socioeconomic deprivation (measured by New Zealand Deprivation Index) and ethnicity. Results There were 530 cases admitted with acute orbital inflammation over a 9-year period from 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2009. This study identified a significant association between orbital infection incidence and socioeconomic deprivation and ethnicity. Cases in the moderate deprivation group had 1.5 times the rate of the least deprived group and the most deprived group had 2.9 times the rate of orbital infection of the least deprived group. Maori had 1.9 times the rate of the European group, and Pacific people had 3.6 times the rate of European group. Conclusion Greater socioeconomic deprivation, and ethnicity was associated with an increased incidence of orbital infection in New Zealand. The reasons why these associations exist are currently not clear.