Pediatric hospitalizations and in-patient mortality from all-terrain vehicle crashes,2006–2016

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate trends in national frequency of hospitalizations and in-patient mortality in the United States for children injured in all-terrain vehicle crashes during the past decade.

Methods

Retrospective review of the 2006, 2009, 2012, and 2016 Kids' Inpatient Databases to identify hospitalizations of patients <19 years of age for all-terrain vehicle-related injuries. External-cause-of-injury codes were used to identify patients hospitalized for injuries sustained in all-terrain vehicle crashes. Odds ratios for in-patient mortality were calculated by logistic regression incorporating multiple individual demographic and hospital variables.

Results

Estimated all-terrain vehicle-related hospitalizations ranged from 3666 in 2006 (5.2/100,000 persons <19 years of age) to 2558 in 2012 (3.3/100,000). Crude in-patient mortality was low, and varied slightly from year to year (range, 0.55–1.04%). Patients hospitalized for all-terrain vehicle-related injuries were 76.8–78.4% White and 72.1–77.2% male. Totally 61.0–64.3% had private insurance, 35.3–39.3% were from rural areas, 37.4–38.3% were in the 10–14-year age group, and patients from the West region accounted for 40.4–43.6% of patients. There were no risk factors identified as being consistently associated with mortality in this cohort. Average total charges increased from $26,996 to $67,370 over the course of the study (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Hospitalizations for all-terrain vehicle-related injuries in children have fallen in the past decade although the reasons for this change are unknown. In-patient mortality rates have stayed relatively constant and while no factors were predictive of in-patient mortality, demographic data may provide an opportunity for targeted interventions to further reduce injuries and associated hospital costs.