@article{ref1,
title="Outcomes of pediatric trauma patients transported from rural and urban scenes",
journal="Air Medical Journal",
year="2008",
author="McCowan, Christy L. and Swanson, E. R. and Thomas, Felicity and Handrahan, Diana L.",
volume="27",
number="2",
pages="78-83",
abstract="OBJECTIVES: Mortality differences exist between victims of urban and rural trauma. It is unknown if these differences persist in those patients who survive to HEMS transport. This study examined the in-hospital mortality, hospital LOS, and discharge status of pediatric blunt trauma victims transported by HEMS from rural and urban scenes. METHODS: Retrospective review of pediatric (&lt; 17) transports between 1997 and 2001. 130 rural and 419 urban pediatric patients transported to area trauma centers were identified from HEMS and registry records. RESULTS: Total mileage, flight times, and scene times were significantly longer for rural flights (P &lt; 0.05). There were no significant differences between the groups with regard to age, gender, vitals, hospital/ICU days, and mortality. After controlling for ISS and mechanism of injury, urban patients were 9 times more likely to die compared to rural patients. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric patients injured in urban areas had shorter total flight and scene times than pediatric patients flown from rural scenes. Higher adjusted in-hospital mortality rates in the urban group were likely a result of faster EMS response and transport times, which minimized out-of-hospital deaths. Factors prior to HEMS arrival may have more impact on the increased mortality rates of rural blunt trauma victims documented nationally.   <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1067-991X",
doi="10.1016/j.amj.2007.10.001",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amj.2007.10.001"
}