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Affiliation
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West Virginia University, School of Medicine , Department of Emergency Medicine , Morgantown , WV. |
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Abstract
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OBJECTIVE: Currently only five out of the fifty states in the United States (U.S.) have laws restricting the age of passengers permitted to ride on a motorcycle. This study sought to characterize the visits by patients under the age of 16 to US emergency departments (ED) for injuries sustained as a passenger on a motorcycle.
METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, data were obtained from the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) for the years 2006 to 2011. Pediatric patients who were passengers on a motorcycle that was involved in a crash were identified using ICD-9 External Cause of Injury codes. We also examined gender, age, disposition, regional differences, common injuries, and charges.
RESULTS: Between 2006 to 2011, there were an estimated 9,689 visits to US EDs by patients under the age of 16 who were passengers on a motorcycle involved in a crash. The overall average patient age was 9.4 years, and they were predominately male (54.5%). The majority (85%) of these patients were treated and released. The average charges for discharged patients were $2,116.50 and amounted to roughly $17,500,000 within the six years. The average cost for admission was $51,446 per patient and totaled over $54 million. The most common primary injuries included superficial contusions, sprains and strains, upper limb fractures, open wounds of head, neck and trunk, and intracranial injuries.
CONCLUSION: Although there were only about 9,700 visits to US EDs for motorcycle crashes involving passengers less than 16 years old for 2006 to 2011, the total cost of visits that resulted in either ED discharge or hospital admission surmounted to over $71 million.
Language: en |