152381 Patient and Hospital Characteristics Associated with Length of Stay and Hospital Charges for Pediatric Sports Related Injury Hospitalizations in the United States, 2000-2003

Monday, November 5, 2007

Jingzhen Yang, PhD, MPH , Community and Behavioral Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Corinne Peek-Asa, PhD, MPH , Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Veerasathpurush Allareddy, DDS , Health Management and Policy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
George Phillips, MD, FAAP, CAQSM , The Department of Pediatrics, Roy J. & Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
Ying Zhang, PhD , Department of Biostatistics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Gang Cheng, MS , Department of Biostatistics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
OBJECTIVES: To describe the patient and hospital characteristics of pediatric sports injury hospitalization, and to determine the hospital characteristics that are associated with length of stay (LOS) and total hospital charges (per discharge).

METHODS: Children aged 5 to 18 with a diagnosis of a sports injury in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample between 2000 and 2003 were included. National estimates of pediatric sports injury hospitalization, including the average and median of LOS and total hospital charges, were computed. The relationship of hospital characteristics to LOS and total hospital charges were assessed using multiple linear regression, adjusting for patient characteristics and sample weight.

RESULTS: A total of 7,979 pediatric sports injury hospitalizations among children aged 5 to 18 were identified over 4 years, approximately 10,000 per year, nationwide. More than half of the hospitalizations were attributed to fractures (54.9%). The mean and median of LOS for pediatric sports injuries was 2.4 and 1.1 days, respectively. When weighted, the estimated total hospital charges for sports injury hospitalizations among 5 to 18 year olds were $485 million over 4 years. Urban hospitals had 46.1% higher total hospital charges than rural hospitals (p<.0001). Hospitals in the western United States had significantly greater total hospital charges than those in other regions (p<.0001).

CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide an empirical basis for future research on the magnitude of pediatric sports injury hospitalization. More research is needed to identify contributing factors associated with LOS and total hospital charges for sports related injury hospitalization.

Learning Objectives:
1) Recognize patient and hospital characteristics associated with sports injury hospitalization among children aged 5 to 18. 2) Discuss the relationship between hospital characteristics and length of stay and total hospital charge in study population; and 3) Develop interventions to reduce injury-related morbidity and the economic costs.

Keywords: Children and Adolescents, Injury

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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