Current experiences of Pennsylvania child fatality review teams

BACKGROUND: Child fatality review (CFR) is a systematic, interdisciplinary, multi-agency examination of pediatric deaths. A recent policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics emphasized the importance of CFR to influence policy and reduce preventable fatalities. In the state of Pennsylvania in 2009, there were 1122 child deaths, 36.3% of which were injury related. Unfortunately, limited resources and frequently unavailable expertise challenges the need for accurate CFR data collection. Therefore, creating a system to ease data entry and bring expertise could enhance CFR and subsequent injury prevention (IP) interventions.

OBJECTIVE: As a first step in designing a system to learn current CFR practices, the aim of this study was to understand the current experience of Pennsylvania CFR teams, including the value of IP efforts.

DESIGN/METHODS: This was an anonymous, qualitative, internet-based survey of 64 Pennsylvania CFR team leaders. The participants were asked about their teams' critical components and ways to improve CFR.

RESULTS: 36 CFR team leaders completed the survey, for a 56% response rate. Critical components of CFR teams included collaboration, networking and prevention efforts. Common themes for improving CFR teams were, in descending order of frequency: more prevention strategies (media, community efforts, funding for prevention), increased agency education (team training) and more efficient information gathering.

CONCLUSIONS: The AAP and Pennsylvania CFR teams value data collection, communication, and education in order to promote prevention efforts, including IP. Novel networking technology that is customized for CFR teams could help improve CFR team training, information dissemination, and IP strategies.