A potential link between the popularity of DIY renovation television programs and hospitalisations from power tools will be the focus of a health study.
There is an increasing number of home-improvement enthusiasts ending up in the emergency room at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, according to ER research manager Dr Rob Eley.
The possible connection with home makeover shows has prompted a study into DIY-related injuries and how they could be prevented.
Some injuries, including fractures and cuts, may not require hospital admission but are still life-changing, Dr Eley said.
"Many accidents occur due to a momentary lapse in concentration," Dr Eley said.
"We want to understand how these accidents happen, what age groups are most affected, the tools and tasks commonly involved, and what people could have done differently to avoid them."
Patients will be interviewed at Princess Alexandra Hospital and the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital over a period of six to 12 months as part of the data collection for the study.
"We will be asking what caused the incident, where they bought the equipment, what training they had and what safety precautions, if any, they had taken," Queensland University of Technology Associate Professor Kirsten Vallmuur said.
The research will be conducted by the University of Queensland and Queensland University of Technology, funded by Brisbane Diamantina Health Partners.
