Health disparities analysis of critically ill pediatric trauma patients in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Health Disparities in the Management and Outcomes of Critically Ill Children and Neonates: A Scoping Review

To date, health disparities in critically ill children have largely been studied within, not across, specific intensive care unit (ICU) settings, thus impeding collaboration which may help advance the care of critically ill children. The aim of this scoping review is to summarize the literature intentionally designed to examine health disparities, across 3 primary ICU settings (neonatal ICU, pediatric ICU, and cardiac ICU) in the United States. We included over 50 studies which describe health disparities across race and/or ethnicity, area-level indices, insurance status, socioeconomic position, language, and distance.

Assessing Social Determinants of Health During Critical Illness: Implications and Methodologies

A growing body of literature has identified social determinants of health (SDoH) as potential contributors to health disparities in pediatric critical illness. Pediatric critical care providers should use validated screening tools to identify unmet social needs and ensure appropriate referral through multisector partnerships. Pediatric critical care researchers should consider factors outside of race and insurance status and explore the association between neighborhood-level factors and disparate health outcomes during critical illness. Measuring and addressing the SDoH at the individual and neighborhood level are important next steps in mitigating health disparities for critically ill pediatric patients.

Association Between the COI and Excess Health Care Utilization and Costs for ACSC

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The authors of previous work have associated the Childhood Opportunity Index (COI) with increased hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC). The burden of this inequity on the health care system is unknown. We sought to understand health care resource expenditure in terms of excess hospitalizations, hospital days, and cost.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective cross-sectional study of the Pediatric Health Information Systems database, including inpatient hospitalizations between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2022 for children <18 years of age. We compared ACSC hospitalizations, mortality, and cost across COI strata.

RESULTS

We identified 2 870 121 hospitalizations among 1 969 934 children, of which 44.5% (1 277 568/2 870 121) were for ACSCs. A total of 49.1% (331 083/674 548) of hospitalizations in the very low stratum were potentially preventable, compared with 39.7% (222 037/559 003) in the very high stratum (P < .001). After adjustment, lower COI was associated with higher odds of potentially preventable hospitalization (odds ratio 1.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.17-1.19). Compared with the very high COI stratum, there were a total of 137 550 (95% CI 134 582-140 517) excess hospitalizations across all other strata, resulting in an excess cost of $1.3 billion (95% CI $1.28-1.35 billion). Compared with the very high COI stratum, there were 813 (95% CI 758-871) excess deaths, with >95% from the very low and low COI strata.

CONCLUSIONS

Children with lower neighborhood opportunity have increased risk of ACSC hospitalizations. The COI may identify communities in which targeted intervention could reduce health care utilization and costs.

Setting an agenda for a national pediatric trauma system: Operationalization of the Pediatric Trauma State Assessment Score

ABSTRACT

Pediatric trauma system development is essential to public health infrastructure and pediatric health systems. Currently, trauma systems are managed at the state level, with significant variation in consideration of pediatric needs. A recently developed Pediatric Trauma System Assessment Score (PTSAS) demonstrated that states with lower PTSAS have increased pediatric mortality from trauma. Critical gaps are identified within six PTSAS domains: Legislation and Funding, Access to Care, Injury Prevention and Recognition, Disaster, Quality Improvement and Trauma Registry, and Pediatric Readiness. For each gap, a recommendation is provided regarding the necessary steps to address these challenges. Existing national organizations, including governmental, professional, and advocacy, highlight the potential partnerships that could be fostered to support efforts to address existing gaps. The organizations created under the US administration are described to highlight the ongoing efforts to support the development of pediatric emergency health systems.It is no longer sufficient to describe the disparities in pediatric trauma outcomes without taking action to ensure that the health system is equipped to manage injured children. By capitalizing on organizations that intersect with trauma and emergency systems to address known gaps, we can reduce the impact of injury on all children across the United States.

Understanding Disparities in the Pediatric ICU: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Health disparities are pervasive in pediatrics. We aimed to describe disparities among patients who are likely to be cared for in the PICU and delineate how sociodemographic data are collected and categorized.

METHODS

Using MEDLINE as a data source, we identified studies which included an objective to assess sociodemographic disparities among PICU patients in the United States. We created a review rubric, which included methods of sociodemographic data collection and analysis, outcome and exposure variables assessed, and study findings. Two authors reviewed every study. We used the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Framework to organize outcome and exposure variables.

RESULTS

The 136 studies included used variable methods of sociodemographic data collection and analysis. A total of 30 of 124 studies (24%) assessing racial disparities used self- or parent-identified race. More than half of the studies (52%) dichotomized race as white and "nonwhite" or "other" in some analyses. Socioeconomic status (SES) indicators also varied; only insurance status was used in a majority of studies (72%) evaluating SES. Consistent, although not uniform, disadvantages existed for racial minority populations and patients with indicators of lower SES. The authors of only 1 study evaluated an intervention intended to mitigate health disparities. Requiring a stated objective to evaluate disparities aimed to increase the methodologic rigor of included studies but excluded some available literature.

CONCLUSIONS

Variable, flawed methodologies diminish our understanding of disparities in the PICU. Meaningfully understanding and addressing health inequity requires refining how we collect, analyze, and interpret relevant data.

Biocultural and social determinants of ill health and early mortality in a New Mexican paediatric autopsy sample

RESULTS.

Hispanic children have higher odds of growth stunting than non-Hispanic White children. Native American children die younger and have higher odds of respiratory diseases and porous lesions than Hispanic and non-Hispanic Whites. Rural/urban location does not significantly impact age at death, but housing type does. Individuals who lived in trailers/mobile homes had earlier ages at death. When intersections between housing type and housing location are considered, children who were poor and from impoverished areas lived longer than those who were poor from relatively well-off areas.

CONCLUSIONS.

Children's health is shaped by factors outside their control. The children included in this study embodied experiences of social and ELS and did not survive to adulthood. They provide the most sobering example of the harm that social factors (structural racism/discrimination, socioeconomic, and political structures) can inflict.

The influence of disparities on intensive care outcomes in children with respiratory diseases: A systematic review

CONTEXT

The negative effects of socioeconomic, environmental and ethnic inequalities on childhood respiratory diseases are known in the development of persistent asthma and can result in adverse outcomes. However, little is known about the effects of these disparities on pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) outcomes in respiratory diseases.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this systematic review is to evaluate the literature on disparities in socioeconomic, environmental and ethnic determinants and PICU outcomes. We hypothesize that these disparities negatively influence the outcomes of children's respiratory diseases at the PICU.

METHODS

A literature search (in PubMed, Embase.com and Web of Science Core Collection) was performed up to September 30, 2022. Two authors extracted the data and independently evaluated the risk of bias with appropriate assessment methods. Articles were included if the patients were below 18 years of age (excluding neonatal intensive care unit admissions), they concerned respiratory diseases and incorporated socioeconomic, ethnic or environmental disparities.

RESULTS

Eight thousand seven hundred fourty-six references were reviewed, and 15 articles were included; seven articles on the effect of socioeconomic status, five articles on ethnicity, one on the effect of sex and lastly two on environmental factors. All articles but one showed an unfavorable outcome at the PICU.

CONCLUSION

Disparities in socioeconomic (such as a low-income household, public health insurance), ethnic and environmental factors (such as exposure to tobacco smoke and diet) have been assessed as risk factors for the severity of children's respiratory diseases and can negatively influence the outcomes of these children admitted and treated at the PICU.

Using the Social Vulnerability Index to Examine Disparities in Surgical Pediatric Trauma Patients

INTRODUCTION

The Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) is a composite measure geocoded at the census tract level that has the potential to identify target populations at risk for postoperative surgical morbidity. We applied the SVI to examine demographics and disparities in surgical outcomes in pediatric trauma patients.

METHODS

Surgical pediatric trauma patients (≤18-year-old) at our institution from 2010 to 2020 were included. Patients were geocoded to identify their census tract of residence and estimated SVI and were stratified into high (≥70th percentile) and low (<70th percentile) SVI groups. Demographics, clinical data, and outcomes were compared using Kruskal-Wallis and Fisher's exact tests.

RESULTS

Of 355 patients included, 21.4% had high SVI percentiles while 78.6% had low SVI percentiles. Patients with high SVI were more likely to have government insurance (73.7% versus 37.2%, P < 0.001), be of minority race (49.8% versus 19.1%, P < 0.001), present with penetrating injuries (32.9% versus 19.7%, P = 0.007), and develop surgical site infections (3.9% versus 0.4%, P = 0.03) compared to the low SVI group.

CONCLUSIONS

The SVI has the potential to examine health care disparities in pediatric trauma patients and identify discrete at-risk target populations for preventative resources allocation and intervention. Future studies are necessary to determine the utility of this tool in additional pediatric cohorts.

Child Opportunity Index and Hospital Utilization in Children With Traumatic Brain Injury Admitted to the PICU

The need to understand how Community-based disparities impact morbidity and mortality in pediatric critical illness, such as traumatic brain injury. Test the hypothesis that ZIP code-based disparities in hospital utilization, including length of stay (LOS) and hospital costs, exist in a cohort of children with traumatic brain injury (TBI) admitted to a PICU using the Child Opportunity Index (COI).

DESIGN

Multicenter retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database.

PATIENTS

Children 0-18 years old admitted to a PHIS hospital with a diagnosis of TBI from January 2016 to December 2020 requiring PICU care. To identify the most severely injured children, a study-specific definition of "Complicated TBI" was created based on radiology, pharmacy, and procedure codes.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Using nationally normed ZIP code-level COI data, patients were categorized into COI quintiles. A low COI ZIP code has low childhood opportunity based on weighted indicators within educational, health and environmental, and social and economic domains. Population-averaged generalized estimating equation (GEE) models, adjusted for patient and clinical characteristics examined the association between COI and study outcomes, including hospital LOS and accrued hospital costs. The median age of this cohort of 8,055 children was 58 months (interquartile range [IQR], 8-145 mo). There were differences in patient demographics and rates of Complicated TBI between COI levels. The median hospital LOS was 3.0 days (IQR, 2.0-6.0 d) and in population-averaged GEE models, children living in very low COI ZIP codes were expected to have a hospital LOS 10.2% (95% CI, 4.1-16.8%; p = 0.0142) longer than children living in very high COI ZIP codes. For the 11% of children with a Complicated TBI, the relationship between COI and LOS was lost in multivariable models. COI level was not predictive of accrued hospital costs in this study.

CONCLUSIONS

Children with TBI requiring PICU care living in low-opportunity ZIP codes have higher injury severity and longer hospital LOS compared with children living in higher-opportunity ZIP codes. Additional studies are needed to understand why these differences exist.

Association of Race With Postoperative Mortality Following Major Abdominopelvic Trauma in Children

BACKGROUND

The leading cause of mortality among children is trauma. Race and ethnicity are critical determinants of pediatric postsurgical outcomes, with minority children generally experiencing higher rates of postoperative morbidity and mortality than White children. This pattern of poorer outcomes for racial and/or ethnic minority children has also been demonstrated in children with head and limb traumas. While injuries to the abdomen and pelvis are not as common, they can be life-threatening. Racial and/or ethnic differences in outcomes of pediatric abdominopelvic operative traumas have not been examined. Our objective was to determine whether disparities exist in postoperative mortality among children with major abdominopelvic trauma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids' Inpatient Database for 2003, 2006, 2009, and 2012. Patients were included if they were < 18 years, sustained a major abdominopelvic injury, and underwent subsequent surgical intervention. Our primary outcome was inpatient mortality, comparing children of different race and/or ethnicity.

RESULTS

We identified a weighted cohort of 13,955 children, of whom 6765 (48.5%) were White, 3614 (25.9%) Black, and 2647 (19.0%) Hispanic. After adjusting for covariates, Black children were 94% more likely to die than their White peers (3.3% versus 1.6%, adjusted-RR:1.94, 95%CI: 1.33-2.82, P = 0.001). Hispanic children (adjusted-RR:1.99, 95%CI: 1.36-2.91, P < 0.001) and those of other race and/or ethnicity (adjusted-RR: 2.02, 95%CI:1.20-3.40, P = 0.008) were also more likely to die compared to their White peers.

CONCLUSIONS

Black and Hispanic children who require operative intervention following major abdominopelvic trauma have a higher risk of postoperative mortality compared with White children.

Racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in paediatric critical care in the USA

In an era of tremendous medical advancements, it is important to characterise and address inequities in the provision of health care and in outcomes. There is a large body of evidence describing such disparities by race or ethnicity and socioeconomic position in critically ill adults; however, this important issue has received less attention in children and adolescents (aged ≤21 years). This Review presents a summary of the available evidence on disparities in outcomes in paediatric critical illness in the USA as a result of racism and socioeconomic privilege. The majority of evidence of racial and socioeconomic disparities in paediatric critical care originates from the USA and is retrospective, with only one prospective intervention-based study. Although there is mixed evidence of disparities by race or ethnicity and socioeconomic position in general paediatric intensive care unit admissions and outcomes in the USA, there are striking trends within some disease processes. Notably, there is evidence of disparities in management and outcomes for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, asthma, severe trauma, sepsis, and oncology, and in families' perceptions of care. Furthermore, there is clear evidence that critical care research is limited by under-enrolment of participants from minority race or ethnicity groups. We advocate for rigorous research standards and increases in the recruitment and enrolment of a diverse range of participants in paediatric critical care research to better understand the disparities observed, including the effects of racism and poverty. A clearer understanding of when, where, and how such disparities affect patients will better enable the development of effective strategies to inform practice, interventions, and policy.

Health disparities of critically ill children according to poverty: the Korean population-based retrospective cohort study

Background

There is a lack of nationwide studies on critically ill patients’ health disparity under the National Health Insurance (NHI) system. We evaluated health disparities in intensive care unit (ICU) admission, outcomes, and readmission in impoverished children.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using a national database from the Korean NHI and Medical Aid Program (MAP). MAP supports the population whose household income is lower than 40% of the median Korean household income. We defined poverty as being a MAP beneficiary and compared the poverty and non-poverty groups. Patients between 28 days and 18 years old who were admitted to the ICU were included. Hospital mortality and readmission were analyzed with adjustment for patient characteristics, hospital type, and management procedures.

Results

Out of 17,893 patients, 1153 (6.4%) patients were in poverty. The age-standardized ICU admission rate was higher in the poverty group (126.9 vs. 80.2 per 100,000 person-years). There was more age-standardized mortality in the poverty group (11.8 vs. 4.3 per 100,000 person-years). Patients in the poverty group did not have a statistically different risk of adjusted in-hospital mortality to those in the non-poverty group (odds ratio: 1.15, confidence interval [CI]: 0.84–1.55) but had a higher readmission rate (hazard ratio 1.25, CI 1.09–1.42).

Conclusion

Under the NHI system, the disparity in pediatric critical care outcomes according to poverty is not definite, but the healthcare disparity in pre- and post-hospital care is a concern. Further studies are required to improve pre- and post-hospital healthcare quality of impoverished children.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-11324-4.

US children of minority race are less likely to be admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit after traumatic injury, a retrospective analysis of a single pediatric trauma center

Background

The public health impact of pediatric trauma makes identifying opportunities to equalize health related disparities imperative. The influence of a child’s race on the likelihood of admission to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is not well described. We hypothesized that traumatically injured children of minority race would have higher rates of PICU admission, compared to White children.

Methods

This was a retrospective review of a single institution’s trauma registry including children ≤18 years of age presenting to the emergency department (ED) whose injury necessitated pediatric trauma team activation at a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center from July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2016. Demographics, injury characteristics and hospital utilization data were collected. Race was categorized as White or racial minority, which included patients identifying as Black, Hispanic ethnicity, Native American or “other.” The primary outcome measure was admission to the PICU. Chi square or Mann Whitney rank sum tests were used, as appropriate, to compare differences in demographics and injury characteristics between those children who were and were not admitted to the PICU setting. Variables associated with PICU admission in univariate analyses were included in a multivariate analysis. Data are presented as median values and interquartile ranges, or numbers and percentages.

Results

The median age of the 654 included subjects was 8 [IQR 4–13] years; 55.2% were a racial minority. Nine (1.4%) children died in the ED and 576 (88.1%) were admitted to the hospital. Of the children requiring hospitalization, 195 (33.9%) were admitted to the PICU. Children admitted to the PICU were less likely to be from a racial minority group (26.1% vs 42.5%, p < 0.001). After adjusting for age and injury characteristics in a multivariable analysis, racial minority children had a lower odds of PICU admission compared to White children (OR 0.492 [95% C.I. 0.298–0.813, p = 0.006]).

Conclusions

In this retrospective analysis of traumatically injured children, minority race was associated with lower odds of PICU admission, suggesting that health care disparities based on race persist in pediatric trauma-related care.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40621-021-00309-x.

Disparities Associated with Sepsis Mortality in Critically Ill Children

Disparities in health care related to socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity are well documented in adult and neonatal sepsis, but they are less characterized in the critically ill pediatric population. This study investigated whether socioeconomic status and/or race/ethnicity is associated with mortality among children treated for sepsis in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). A retrospective cohort study was conducted using information from 48 children's hospitals included in the Pediatric Health Information System database. We included visits by children ≤ 21 years with All Patients Refined Diagnosis-Related Groups (APR-DRG) diagnosis codes of septicemia and disseminated infections that resulted in PICU admission from 2010 to 2016. Multivariable logistic regression was used to measure the effect of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status (insurance status and median household income for zip code) on mortality after adjustment for age, gender, illness severity, and presence of complex chronic condition. Among the 14,276 patients with sepsis, the mortality rate was 6.8%. In multivariable analysis, socioeconomic status, but not race/ethnicity, was associated with mortality. In comparison to privately insured children, nonprivately insured children had increased odds of mortality (public: adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.2 [1.0, 1.5]; uninsured: aOR: 2.1 [1.2, 3.7]). Similarly, children living in zip codes with the lowest quartile of annual household income had higher odds of mortality than those in the highest quartile (aOR: 1.5 [1.0, 2.2]). These data suggest the presence of socioeconomic, but not racial/ethnic, disparities in mortality among children treated for sepsis. Further research is warranted to understand why such differences exist and how they may be addressed.

Provider Consensus on Candidate Protective and Risk Factors for Adverse Psychosocial Outcomes Following Discharge From a PICU: A Modified Delphi Study

OBJECTIVES

Pediatric palliative care promotes interdisciplinary, family-centered care when children are faced with diagnoses threatening length and/or quality of life. A significant knowledge gap remains in how to best match pediatric palliative care resources to palliate the psychosocial impact of a PICU admission. This study was designed to identify drivers of adverse post-PICU psychosocial outcomes related to social determinants of health to inform pediatric palliative care services and improve post-PICU psychosocial outcomes.

DESIGN

Modified Delphi technique to develop consensus regarding social determinants of health and clinical factors affecting post-ICU psychosocial outcomes.

SETTING

All Delphi rounds were via an electronically mailed survey link.

SUBJECTS

First-round participants were PICU and pediatric palliative care clinicians at the study institution. Subsequent rounds invited participants from national PICU and pediatric palliative care professional online listserves.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Consensus was defined a priori as items assigned a score greater than or equal to 4 (5-point scale) by greater than75% of respondents. One-hundred twenty-six surveys were returned and scored. Social determinants of health risk factors included child protective services involvement (91%), caregiver with intellectual disability (87%), lack of friend or family support (82%), caregiver with behavioral health diagnosis (81%), teenage caregiver (79%), transportation challenges (79%), and language/cultural barrier (76%). Clinical risk factors included new home ventilator (94%), new tracheostomy (90%), greater than or equal to 3 hospitalizations in the prior 6 months (88%), and greater than or equal to 3 hospitalizations in the prior 12 months (82%). Social determinants of health protective factors included extended family support (91%), caregivers in a committed relationship (79%), and caregiver optimism (78%). Respondents reported that pediatric palliative care services had the greatest impact on caregiver satisfaction with the healthcare system (90%) and increased family involvement with state social services programs (80%).

CONCLUSIONS

Consensus on candidate risk and protective factors for post-ICU psychosocial challenges and candidate pediatric palliative care-sensitive variables were identified. Further research is needed to operationalize and optimize a screening tool based on these consensus items and test it prospectively.

Neighborhood Poverty and Pediatric Intensive Care Use

BACKGROUND

Disparities in health service use have been described across a range of sociodemographic factors. Patterns of PICU use have not been thoroughly assessed.

METHODS

This was a population-level, retrospective analysis of admissions to the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center PICU between 2011 and 2016. Residential addresses of patients were geocoded and spatially joined to census tracts. Pediatric patients were eligible for inclusion if they resided within Hamilton County, Ohio. PICU admission and bed-day rates were calculated by using numerators of admissions and bed days, respectively, over a denominator of tract child population. Relationships between tract-level PICU use and child poverty were assessed by using Spearman's ρ and analysis of variance. Analyses were event based; children admitted multiple times were counted as discrete admissions.

RESULTS

There were 4071 included admissions involving 3129 unique children contributing a total of 12 297 PICU bed days. Child poverty was positively associated with PICU admission rates (r = 0.59; P < .001) and bed-day rates (r = 0.47; P < .001). When tracts were grouped into quintiles based on child poverty rates, the PICU bed-day rate ranged from 23.4 days per 1000 children in the lowest poverty quintile to 81.9 days in the highest poverty quintile (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

The association between poverty and poor health outcomes includes pediatric intensive care use. This association exists for children who grow up in poverty and around poverty. Future efforts should characterize the interplay between patient- and neighborhood-level risk factors and explore neighborhood-level interventions to improve child health.

Association between socioeconomic status and risk of hospitalization due to child maltreatment in the USA

Child maltreatment remains a significant problem in the USA. There is a dearth of literature examining the association of socioeconomic status (SES) and incidence of child maltreatment among hospitalized children across the entire USA. Our aim was to study the association between SES and incidence and mortality from child maltreatment among hospitalized children in the USA. We used 2013-2014 data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a discharge database representative of all hospitals in the USA. International Classification of Diseases-9 codes for general child maltreatment were used to identify patients discharged with a primary diagnosis of child maltreatment. Trends in the incidence and outcomes of child maltreatment were compared with SES based on quartiles (Qx) of median household income. In 2013-2014, there were a total of about 2.3 million pediatric discharges. Out of these, a total of 8985 had a primary diagnosis of child maltreatment. Approximately 40 per cent of the cases were from families with the lowest SES (Q1). In-hospital mortality was 2.4 per cent in Q1 (lowest SES) compared with 0.4 per cent in Q4 (highest SES). We conclude that children from lower SES households have a higher incidence of child maltreatment and have worse outcomes, including significantly higher in-hospital mortality among hospitalized children. This trend was generally consistent across all age groups and ethnicities. To our knowledge, this is the first report studying the association between SES and children with child maltreatment among hospitalized children across the entire USA.

Penetrating trauma in children on the United States-Mexico border: Hispanic ethnicity is not a risk factor

INTRODUCTION

The United States-Mexico border is perceived as dangerous by the media and current political leaders. Hispanic ethnicity, low socioeconomic status, male gender and adolescent age have previously been identified as risk factors for penetrating trauma (PT).

METHODS

A retrospective review of PT was performed in a border region. Children 0-17 years old, admitted to the region's only level I trauma center between 2001 and 2016 were included. Standardized morbidity ratio was used to compare observed to expected morbidity.

RESULTS

There were 417 PT admissions. 197 (47%) were non-accidental, 34 (8%) suicide attempts and 186 (45%) accidental. There were 12 homicides, 7 suicides and no accidental deaths. The region contains over 280,000 children, thus yielding a homicide rate of 0.26 per 100,000. The U.S. pediatric homicide rate was 2.6-4.0 over this period. Adolescents 13-17 years old accounted for 237 (57%) admissions, 152 (78%) of non-accidental admissions and 12 (63%) deaths. Most admissions (N = 321, 77%) and 15 of the deaths (79%) were males. Non-accidental injuries were more frequent in ZIP codes associated with low incomes. Hispanic patients accounted for 173 (88%) of non-accidental trauma. However, 40 (20%) non-accidental injuries occurred in Mexico and 157 (80%) injuries occurred in an 82% Hispanic region. Therefore, the standardized morbidity ratio for Hispanic ethnicity was 1.048 (CL 0.8-1.2, P = 0.6).

CONCLUSION

On the United States-Mexico border, the pediatric homicide rate was less than 1/10 the national average. Male adolescents are at risk for non-accidental PT. In a Hispanic majority population, Hispanic ethnicity was not a risk factor for PT. It is possible that economic disparity, rather than race/ethnicity, is a risk factor for PT.

Risk factors for nonelective 30-day readmission in pediatric assault victims

PURPOSE

Hospital readmission in trauma patients is associated with significant morbidity and increased healthcare costs. There is limited published data on early hospital readmission in pediatric trauma patients. As presently in healthcare outcomes and readmissions rates are increasingly used as hospital quality indicators, it is paramount to recognize risk factors for readmission. We sought to identify national readmission rates in pediatric assault victims and identify the most common readmission diagnoses among these patients.

METHODS

The Nationwide Readmission Database (NRD) for 2013 was queried for all patients under 18years of age with a non-elective admission with an E-code that is designed as assault using National Trauma Data Bank Standards. Multivariate logistic regression was implemented using 18 variables to determine the odds ratios (OR) for non-elective readmission within 30-days.

RESULTS

There were 4050 pediatric victims of assault and 92 (2.27%) died during the initial admission. Of the surviving patients 128 (3.23%) were readmitted within 30days. Of these readmitted patients 24 (18.75%) were readmitted to a different hospital and 31 (24.22%) were readmitted for repeated assault. The variables associated with the highest risk for non-elective readmission within 30-days were: length of stay (LOS) >7days (OR 3.028, p<0.01, 95% CI 1.67-5.50), psychoses (OR 3.719, p<0.01, 95% CI 1.70-8.17), and weight loss (OR 4.408, p<0.01, 95% CI 1.92-10.10). The most common readmission diagnosis groups were bipolar disorders (8.2%), post-operative, posttraumatic, or other device infections (6.2%), or major depressive disorders and other/unspecified psychoses (5.2%).

CONCLUSIONS

Readmission after pediatric assault represents a significant resource burden and almost a quarter of those patients are readmitted after a repeated assault. Understanding risk factors and reasons for readmission in pediatric trauma assault victims can improve discharge planning, family education, and outpatient support, thereby decreasing overall costs and resource burden. Psychoses, weight loss, and prolonged hospitalization are independent prognostic indicators of readmission in pediatric assault patients.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV - Prognostic and Epidemiological - Retrospective Study.

The Impact of Payer Source on Trauma Outcomes in a Pediatric Population

OBJECTIVES

Determine if there were differences in conclusions drawn regarding disparities in trauma outcomes based on literature-derived payer source definitions in a pediatric population.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Retrospective registry review of admitted pediatric trauma patients (≤17 years of age) at a level II pediatric trauma facility. Eligible patients were categorized into 3 payer source definitions: definition 1: commercially insured, Medicaid, uninsured; definition 2: insured, uninsured; definition 3: commercially insured, underinsured. Logistic regression was used to determine the influence of payer source on outcomes.

RESULTS

Payer source was not significant in definition 1, 2, or 3 for intensive care unit length of stay (LOS), hospital LOS, medical consults, or mortality. For hospital disposition, payer source was significant in definition 1, the uninsured were 90% less likely than commercially insured to be discharged to continued care. In definition 2, the uninsured were 88% less likely than insured to be discharged to continued care. In definition 3, the underinsured were 57% less likely than commercially insured to be discharged to continued care.

CONCLUSIONS

Differences between the literature-derived definitions were not observed and therefore conclusions drawn did not differ across definitions. The investigation demonstrated payer source was not associated with in-hospital outcomes (intensive care unit LOS, hospital LOS, medical consults, and mortality), but was with posthospital outcomes. Findings warrant future examinations on the categorization of payer source in pediatric patients and hospital disposition to gain a greater understanding of disparities related to payer source in pediatric trauma, specifically in terms of posthospital care.

The association of insurance status on the probability of transfer for pediatric trauma patients

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of insurance status on the probability of transfer of pediatric trauma patients to level I/II centers after initial evaluation at lower level centers.

METHODS

A retrospective review of all pediatric trauma patients (age<16years) registered in the 2007-2012 National Trauma Data Bank was performed. Multiple regression techniques controlling for clustering at the hospital level were used to determine the impact of insurance status on the probability of transfer to level I/II trauma centers.

RESULTS

Of 38,205 patients, 33% of patients (12,432) were transferred from lower level centers to level I/II trauma centers. Adjusting for demographics and injury characteristics, children with no insurance had a higher likelihood of transfer than children with private insurance. Children with public or unknown insurance status were no more likely to be transferred than privately insured children. There were no variable interactions with insurance status.

CONCLUSIONS

Among pediatric trauma patients, lack of insurance is an independent predictor for transfer to a major trauma center. While burns, severely injured, and younger patients remain the most likely to be transferred, these findings suggest a triage bias influenced by insurance status. Additional policies may be needed to avoid unnecessary transfer of uninsured pediatric trauma patients.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Case-control study, level III.

Preventable pediatric intensive care unit admissions over a 13-year period at a level 1 pediatric trauma center

BACKGROUND

No formal criteria exist to determine the need for admission of injured children to the pediatric intensive care unit. Our objective was to analyze trauma patient admissions to the PICU at a level 1 pediatric trauma center.

METHODS

The trauma registry was analyzed between 2002 and 2015. A preventable PICU admission was defined as a child discharged home or transferred out of the PICU within 30h without surgical intervention, blood transfusion, or ventilator support.

RESULTS

Of 16,209 children, 19% were admitted to the PICU: mean age 7.3years, median ISS 17, and overall mortality 7%. Per our definition, 36% were preventable PICU admissions of which 83% suffered a head injury. The preventable admissions were younger (6.9 vs. 7.6years, p<0.001) with a lower median ISS (16 vs. 21, p<0.001), shorter median PICU LOS (17 vs. 41h, p<0.001) and shorter median hospital LOS (51 vs. 121h, p<0.001). These admissions resulted in total facility charges of $9,981,454.76 with 54% produced by children with an isolated head injury.

CONCLUSIONS

A significant number of children admitted to our PICU were classified as preventable. They carry a substantial economic burden to the health care system with an overutilization of resources. Methods to limit such admissions should be actively pursued.

Pediatric and adult trauma centers differ in evaluation, treatment, and outcomes for severely injured adolescents

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

This study aims to investigate differences in imaging, procedure utilization, and clinical outcomes of severely injured adolescents treated at adult versus pediatric trauma centers.

METHODS

The National Trauma Data Bank was queried retrospectively for adolescents, 15-19years old, with a length of stay (LOS) >1day and Injury Severity Score (ISS) >25 treated at adult (ATC) or pediatric (PTC) Level 1 trauma centers from 2007 to 2011. Patient demographics and utilization of imaging and procedures were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate regression analysis was used to compare outcomes.

RESULTS

Of 12,861 adolescents, 51% were treated at ATC. Older age and more nonwhites were seen at ATC (p<0.01). Imaging and invasive procedures were more common at ATC (p<0.01). Shorter LOS (p=0.03) and higher home discharge rates (p<0.01) were seen at PTC. ISS and mortality did not differ. Age, race, ATC care (all p<0.01), and admission systolic blood pressure (SBP) (p=0.03) were predictors of CT utilization. ISS, SBP, and race (p<0.01) were risk factors for overall mortality; SBP (p=0.03) and ISS (p<0.01) predicted death from penetrating injury.

CONCLUSIONS

Severely injured adolescents experience improved outcomes and decreased imaging and invasive procedures without additional mortality risk when treated at PTC. PTC is an appropriate destination for severely injured adolescents.

Socioeconomic Status and Hospitalization Costs for Children with Brain and Spinal Cord Injury

OBJECTIVE

To determine if household income is associated with hospitalization costs for severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI).

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study of inpatient, nonrehabilitation hospitalizations at 43 freestanding children's hospitals for patients <19 years old with unintentional severe TBI and SCI from 2009-2012. Standardized cost of care for hospitalizations was modeled using mixed-effects methods, adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, primary payer, presence of chronic medical condition, mechanism of injury, injury severity, distance from residence to hospital, and trauma center level. Main exposure was zip code level median annual household income.

RESULTS

There were 1061 patients that met inclusion criteria, 833 with TBI only, 227 with SCI only, and 1 with TBI and SCI. Compared with those with the lowest-income zip codes, patients from the highest-income zip codes were more likely to be older, white (76.7% vs 50.4%), have private insurance (68.9% vs 27.9%), and live closer to the hospital (median distance 26.7 miles vs 81.2 miles). In adjusted models, there was no significant association between zip code level household income and hospitalization costs.

CONCLUSIONS

Children hospitalized with unintentional, severe TBI and SCI showed no difference in standardized hospital costs relative to a patient's home zip code level median annual household income. The association between household income and hospitalization costs may vary by primary diagnosis.

Patient- and Community-Level Sociodemographic Characteristics Associated with Emergency Department Visits for Childhood Injury

OBJECTIVE

To examine pediatric emergency department (ED) visits over 5 years, trends in injury severity, and associations between injury-related ED visit outcome and patient and community-level sociodemographic characteristics.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of administrative data provided to the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network Core Data Project, 2004-2008. Home addresses were geocoded to determine census block group and associated sociodemographic characteristics. Maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale severity and Severity Classification System scores were calculated. Generalized estimating equations were used to test for associations between sociodemographic characteristics and admission or transfer among injury-related ED visits.

RESULTS

Overall ED visits and injury-related visits increased from 2004 to 2008 at study sites. Of 2,833676 successfully geocoded visits, 700,821 (24.7%) were injury-related. The proportion of higher severity injury-related visits remained consistent. Nearly 10% of injury-related visits resulted in admission or transfer each year. After adjusting for age, sex, payer, and injury severity, odds of admission or transfer were lower among minority children and children from areas with moderate and high prevalence of poverty.

CONCLUSIONS

Pediatric injury-related ED visits to included sites increased over the study period while injury severity, anticipated resource utilization, and visit outcomes remained stable, with low rates of admission or transfer. Sociodemographic differences in injury-related visits and ED disposition were apparent. ED-based injury surveillance is essential to understand disparities, inform targets for prevention programs, and reduce the overall burden of childhood injuries.

Census-based socioeconomic indicators for monitoring injury causes in the USA: a review

BACKGROUND

Unlike the UK or New Zealand, there is no standard set of census variables in the USA for characterising socioeconomic (SES, socioeconomic status) inequalities in health outcomes, including injury. We systematically reviewed existing US studies to identify conceptual and methodological strengths and limitations of current approaches to determine those most suitable for research and surveillance.

METHODS

We searched seven electronic databases to identify census variables proposed in the peer-reviewed literature to monitor injury risk. Inclusion criteria were that numerator data were derived from hospital, trauma or vital statistics registries and that exposure variables included census SES constructs.

RESULTS

From 33 eligible studies, we identified 70 different census constructs for monitoring injury risk. Of these, fewer than half were replicated by other studies or against other causes, making the majority of studies non-comparable. When evaluated for a statistically significant relationship with a cause of injury, 74% of all constructs were predictive of injury risk when assessed in pairwise comparisons, whereas 98% of all constructs were significant when aggregated into composite indices. Fewer than 30% of studies selected SES constructs based on known associations with injury risk.

CONCLUSIONS

There is heterogeneity in the conceptual and methodological approaches for using census data for monitoring injury risk as well as in the recommendations as to how these constructs can be used for injury prevention. We recommend four priority areas for research to facilitate a more unified approach towards use of the census for monitoring socioeconomic inequalities in injury risk.

A randomized trial on screening for social determinants of health: the iScreen study

BACKGROUND

There is growing interest in clinical screening for pediatric social determinants of health, but little evidence on formats that maximize disclosure rates on a wide range of potentially sensitive topics. We designed a study to examine disclosure rates and hypothesized that there would be no difference in disclosure rates on face-to-face versus electronic screening formats for items other than highly sensitive items.

METHODS

We conducted a randomized trial of electronic versus face-to-face social screening formats in a pediatric emergency department. Consenting English-speaking and Spanish-speaking adult caregivers familiar with the presenting child's household were randomized to social screening via tablet computer (with option for audio assist) versus a face-to-face interview conducted by a fully bilingual/bicultural researcher.

RESULTS

Almost all caregivers (96.8%) reported at least 1 social need, but rates of reporting on the more sensitive issues (household violence and substance abuse) were significantly higher in electronic format, and disclosure was marginally higher in electronic format for financial insecurity and neighborhood and school safety. There was a significant difference in the proportion of social needs items with higher endorsement in the computer-based group (70%) than the face-to-face group (30%).

CONCLUSIONS

Pediatric clinical sites interested in incorporating caregiver-reported socioeconomic, environmental, and behavioral needs screening should consider electronic screening when feasible, particularly when assessing sensitive topics such as child safety and household member substance use.