Research Forum abstract
137: Visits by Pediatric Passengers Due to Motorcycle Crashes In United States Emergency Departments

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annemergmed.2010.06.181Get rights and content

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Background

There is a dearth of literature describing the incidence of children not old enough to drive who are injured while riding as a passenger on a motorcycle. A better understanding of the incidence of these accidents and characteristics of this cohort may guide future injury prevention strategies.

Study Objectives

To estimate the incidence of visits to the emergency department (ED) and subsequent hospitalizations of pediatric (< 16 years of age) patients injured while riding as a passenger on a motorcycle in the United States.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, data were obtained from the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) for the year 2006. Pediatric patients who were passengers on a motorcycle that was in an accident were identified using ICD-9 External Cause of Injury codes (810.3, 811.3, 812.3, 813.3, 814.3, 815.3, 816.3, 817.3, 818.3, 819.3). The fourth digit subclassification (3) identifies the category “passenger on a motorcycle.” National visit and hospitalization estimates were calculated using

Results

During 2006, there were an estimated 1,433 visits to United States EDs by pediatric patients who were passengers on a motorcycle involved in an accident. The average age of these patients was 9.63 years (95% CI 9.15-10.10), and they were predominately male (62.37%; 95% CI 56.45-67.95 versus 37.63%; 95% CI 32.05-43.55 female), and covered by private insurance (48.25%; 95% CI 41.66-54.89). Most of these patients were treated and released (86.39%; 95% CI 80.89-90.49) with 7.90% (95% CI 4.98-12.32)

Conclusion

There were over 1,400 visits to emergency departments in the United States by pediatric patients less than 16 years of age who were passengers involved in a motorcycle accident in 2006. These patients were more likely to be male, and present to a non-trauma hospital located in the South. Total ED and inpatient charges for this cohort exceeded $8.3 million. Future studies should prospectively survey this cohort to further elucidate the factors contributing to these accidents, which may suggest

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