Faculty Collaboration Database

Fatal childhood injury patterns in an urban setting. Ann Emerg Med 1994 Feb;23(2):231-6

Date

02/01/1994

Pubmed ID

8304604

DOI

10.1016/s0196-0644(94)70036-2

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0028008774 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   13 Citations

Abstract

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To describe fatal childhood injury patterns in an urban county and evaluate the use of the emergency medical services system.

DESIGN: Retrospective chart review of medical examiner files, prehospital and hospital records, and police and fire personnel reports.

SETTING: Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, an urban county with a population of approximately 1 million.

PARTICIPANTS: All children 15 years old or younger who sustained a fatal injury in 1989 or 1990 (70).

RESULTS: House fires were the leading cause of death by injury (34%), followed by firearms (19%), and drowning (11%). Motor vehicle occupant deaths occurred less frequently (7%). One-third of deaths were homicides (48% firearms and 30% assault). Twenty-four percent of deaths were pronounced at the scene, 12% were dead-on-arrival (no emergency department resuscitative efforts), and 37% were dead-on arrival ED resuscitations. Only 27% of victims survived to become inpatients (84% died within 72 hours). Mean scene time (16.1 +/- 7.9 minutes), transport time (9.5 +/- 5.1 minutes), and success rates for prehospital peripheral IV insertion (72%), endotracheal intubation (91%), and intraosseous line (86%) were not significantly different among those who were dead-on-arrival, dead-on-arrival failed resuscitations, or eventual inpatients.

CONCLUSION: Fatal childhood injury patterns in this urban setting differed from reported national injury patterns. This study found a higher percentage of deaths from fire, gunshot wounds, and homicides but a lower percentage of motor vehicle-related deaths. Prevention strategies need to address the injury patterns of a particular community. Only a small percentage of victims survived to receive inpatient care following their injuries, suggesting that primary prevention of injury may be the most effective intervention.

Author List

Weesner CL, Hargarten SW, Aprahamian C, Nelson DR

Author

Stephen W. Hargarten MD, MPH Professor in the Emergency Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adolescent
Child
Child, Preschool
Drowning
Emergencies
Female
Fires
Humans
Infant
Male
Retrospective Studies
Urban Health
Wisconsin
Wounds and Injuries
Wounds, Gunshot