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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Michael F. Ballesteros, PhD1, Richard Schieber, MD1, Julie Gilchrist, MD1, and J Lee Annest, PhD2. (1) NCIPC, DUIP, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, NE, Mailstop K63, Atlanta, GA 30341, 404-488-1308, mballesteros@cdc.gov, (2) OSP, NCIPC, CDC, 4770 Buford Highway, NE MS-K59, Atlanta, GA 30341-3724
Background: Injuries are the leading cause of death among children <15 years. National data on leading causes of fatal and non-fatal injuries are now readily available using a web-based querying and reporting system called WISQARS. This system was used to compare pediatric injury-related emergency department visits (IEDV) and deaths.
Methods: Data on injury-related deaths were obtained from the 1998 National Vital Statistics System and on non-fatal IEDVs from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Program (NEISS-AIP). Annualized national estimates from NEISS-AIP (begun in July 2000) represent a national probability sample of US hospital EDs. Comparisons of leading causes of fatal and non-fatal injuries among children <15 years were made using WISQARS.
Results: There are an estimated 7.2 million pediatric IEDV (based on 72,000 records) and 7,500 injury deaths, an overall non-fatal to fatal ratio (NF:F) of 960 IEDV:1 death. Among deaths, the three leading causes were traffic crashes (n=2,568), drownings (n=1,058), and suffocations (n=968). Their respective NF:F were 210:1, 7:1, and 14:1. Firearm-related injuries, accounting for 612 deaths, were the most lethal (NF:F=4:1). Among non-fatal injuries, falls (n=2,400,000), struck by/against (n=1,800,000), and bites/stings (n=500,000) accounted for two-thirds of all IEDV; however, these causes were substantially less lethal, with NF:F=19,000:1, 21,000:1, and 42,000:1, respectively.
Conclusions: Leading causes of IEDV were not associated with high deaths rates. Injury prevention priorities have traditionally been based on mortality data, without sufficient consideration of non-fatal events. This analysis indicates the need for additional research on causes and consequences of childhood non-fatal injuries, especially falls.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Injury, Children
Related Web page: www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.