Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #109009

Marleen Radigan, MS, MPH, DrPH¹, James MacIntyre, MD², Foster Gesten, MD³, Kimberly Hoagwood, PhD⁴, Peter Lannon, BS², and Patrick Roohan, MS³. (1) Center for Information Technology and Evaluation Research, New York State Office of Mental Health, 44 Holland Ave, Albany, NY 12229, (518) 473-6059, coevmsr@omh.state.ny.us, (2) NYS Office of Mental Health, 44 Holland Ave, Albany, NY 12203, (3) Office of Managed Care, New York State Department of Health, Empire State Plaza, Corning Tower, Room 1938, Albany, NY 12237, (4) NYS Office of Mental Health, & Columbia University Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 1775 Broadway, 7th Fl, New York, NY 10019

Objectives: To examine the patterns of association between childhood mental disorders and injuries in a low income population. Design: New York State Medicaid administrative data were used to examine the cross-sectional association between mental disorder and injury during 2002. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate statistics were presented. Participants: The study population consisted of 763,251 children who were between the ages of five and 18 years and enrolled in the New York State Medicaid program for the entire study year. Children who were diagnosed with mental disorder only (n=58,155, 7.6%), mental disorder and injury (n=24,744, 3.2%) and injury only (n=106,371, 13.9%) were identified. Results: Mental disorders commonly associated with injury were ADHD (n=10,041, 7.7%) and mood disorders (n=8,522, 6.5%). After controlling for socio-demographic correlates, having any mental disorder increased the odds of injury by a factor of two (Adjusted Odds Ratio [OR] = 2.12, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 2.08-2.16). Having a mental disorder increased the odds of less-serious (i.e., superficial injury OR=2.11) and serious (i.e., trauma injury OR=1.82) injuries. In addition, strong associations were found between poisoning injury and specific mental disorders: unipolar depression (OR=5.45, 95% CI: 5.02-5.93), bipolar mood disorders (OR=7.00, 95% CI: 6.15-7.95), major depression (OR=9.63; 95% CI: 8.51-10.89) and somatic disorders (OR=9.08; 95% CI: 7.89-10.44). Conclusions: Having a mental disorder significantly increases the risk of all types of injuries. Early identification of mental health disorders and parent education are especially needed to offset the likely injuries that may affect these populations of children.

Learning Objectives:

• To identify patterns of association between injury and mental disorder in children;
• To identify sub-groups of children at risk for serious trauma and poisoning.

Keywords: Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Injuries

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation