Abstract

Background: Developing Injury Prevention Programs (IPP) is accorded a lot of importance in American College of Surgeons (ACS) level 1 Pediatric Trauma Centers (PTC). Trauma remains the main killer in the pediatric population and determining priorities in IPP is difficult due to competition for limited resources. This study evaluates factors that could help determine resourcing priorities of IPP by evaluating its impact in Motor Vehicle Accidents (MVA).

Materials and Methods: Retrospective chart review of all children involved in MVA from 2016 - 2018 as pedestrians or bicyclists was performed. Demographics, injury type, and Injury Severity Score (ISS) subdivided the cohort. Average income for Zip codes where MVA occurred was obtained from publically available county records. Zip codes and average incomes from sites of MVA were compared to those of school districts participating in the IPP to assess effectiveness and community need.

Results: Patient population was 64% minority (Hispanic and African American) and 60% male. Extremity (30%) and head and neck (30%) accounted for preponderance of injuries. Race did not significantly correlate to specific type of injury or increased ISS. 67% of pedestrian and bicyclist MVA occurred on weekdays. 47% concordance was noted between IPP and trauma zip codes. Incidences occurred in low-income areas compared to average median household income for the country.

Conclusion: Ethnic minorities and low-income areas are disproportionately affected in pedestrian and bicyclist MVA. Trauma centers should partner with local area schools as part of community outreach to decrease morbidity and mortality. Socioeconomic status should factor into allocation of resources.

Keywords: Pedestrian Injury; Motor Vehicle Accidents; Pediatric Injury Prevention; Road Safety Outreach

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