TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2023//
TI  - A window of opportunity: understanding pediatric falls using area deprivation index
JO  - Journal of pediatric surgery
A1  - de Cos, Víctor
A1  - Galvez, Anthony
A1  - Rooney, Alexandra S.
A1  - Sykes, Alicia
A1  - Krzyzaniak, Andrea
A1  - Lazar, David
A1  - Thangarajah, Hari
A1  - Bansal, Vishal
A1  - Sise, Michael
A1  - Ignacio, Romeo C.
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - INTRODUCTION: The purpose of our study is to assess neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage (NSD) as a risk factor for window falls (WF) in children. <br><br>METHODS: A single institution retrospective review was performed of patients ≤18 years old with fall injuries treated at a Level I trauma center between 2018 and 2021. Demographic, injury, and NSD characteristics which were collected from a trauma registry were analyzed and compared between WF versus non-window falls. Area Deprivation Index (ADI) was used to measure NSD levels based on patients' home address 9-digit zip code, with greater NSD being defined as ADI quintiles 4 and 5. Property type was used to compare falls that took place at single-family homes versus apartment buildings. <br><br>RESULTS: Among 1545 pediatric fall injuries, 194 were WF, of which 60 % were male and 46 % were Hispanic. WF patients were younger than NWF patients (median age WF 3.2 vs. age 4.3, p<0.047). WF patients were more likely to have a depressed Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS score ≤12, WF 9 % vs. 3 %) and sustain greater head/neck injuries (median AIS 3vs. AIS 2, p<0.001) when compared to NWF. WF patients had longer hospital and ICU lengths of stay than NWF patients (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). WF patients were more likely to live in areas of greater NSD than NWF patients (53 % vs. 35 %, p<0.001), and 73 % of all WF patients lived in apartments or condominiums. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Window fall injuries were associated with lower GCS, greater severity of head/neck injuries, and longer hospital and ICU length of stay than non-window falls. ADI research can provide meaningful data for targeted injury prevention programs in areas where children are at higher risk of window falls. STUDY TYPE: Retrospective review. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0022-3468
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2023.10.026
ID  - ref1
ER  -