Anxious people and men are much more likely to be the victims of dog bites, according to new research which indicates bites are far more common than current official estimates suggest.
The study, based on a survey of almost 700 people, found that nearly a quarter of people said they had been bitten at least once during their life.
Writing in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, the authors reveal that when factors including age, dog ownership and sex were taken into account, the odds of men being bitten were 81% higher than for women, with the odds of current owners of multiple dogs being bitten more than three times higher than for those without a canine.
The team also found that those who rated themselves as more calm or emotionally stable in the survey’s questionnaire were less likely to report having been bitten by a dog.
Dr Carri Westgarth, co-author of the research from the University of Liverpool, notes it is unclear whether anxious behaviour increases the risk, if being bitten increases emotional instability, or whether calmer owners were more likely to have calm dogs. The authors also note that other factors – such as socioeconomic status – could be behind the link.
While UK estimates often report an annual figure of about 740 bites per 100,000 individuals, the latest study suggests the figures could be far higher, estimating 1,873 per 100,000 people.
“The only official statistics that we record in the UK about dog bites are hospital admissions for being bitten or struck by a dog,” said Westgarth. “We have got no idea how many people are actually bitten by dogs, and how many bites require medical treatment.”
According to 2015 figures for England, hospital admissions for being bitten or struck by a dog ranged from 27 per 100,000 in Merseyside to 7.3 per 100,000 in Kent and Medway.
When those who reported having ever been bitten were asked to focus on just one bite, the team found that 0.6% required hospital admission, although 33% required some form of medical attention. Almost 55% of the bites recalled were from unfamiliar dogs.
The authors admit the study has limitations, including that it relied on self-reporting, did not take into account factors such as the dogs’ age, sex or breed, only included a small sample of individuals from one part of the UK, and did not quiz under fives – even though they are thought to be at high risk of bites.
But they say the study could help to inform interventions – and who to focus them on – to avert bites, with Westgarth adding that other research has shown such incidents can have an emotional impact. “Most dog bites aren’t going to put you in hospital … but I don’t think that means that we shouldn’t try and prevent them,” she said.