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Injuries among children--some cost considerations in USA
1Center for Childhood Injury Epidemiology and Prevention, Institute of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Charles University, 2nd Medical School, Prague, Czech Republic.
Insights
Childhood injuries cause significant death, disability, and economic loss. Prioritizing injury prevention strategies based on cost-effectiveness can reduce this burden.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Injury Prevention
- Child Health
Background:
- Unintentional and intentional injuries are leading causes of death and disability in children under 19.
- The economic impact of childhood injuries, including lost productivity, exceeds that of heart disease, stroke, and cancer.
- Effective injury control interventions exist but require strategic implementation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the substantial burden of childhood injuries.
- To emphasize the need for cost-effective injury prevention strategies.
- To guide decision-makers in prioritizing injury control programs.
Main Methods:
- This study reviews existing data on injury morbidity, mortality, and economic costs.
- It analyzes the potential impact of implementing known injury-control interventions.
- The cost-effectiveness of different prevention strategies is considered for prioritization.
Main Results:
- Injuries result in significant premature death and disability.
- Implementing known interventions can substantially reduce injury incidence and severity.
- Prioritizing injury prevention based on cost per case or total projected cost is recommended.
Conclusions:
- Reducing the burden of childhood injury is a critical public health priority.
- Limited financial resources necessitate a focus on cost-effective prevention strategies.
- Maternal and child health programs should prioritize high-cost injury causes or overall projected injury costs.
Abstract:
Unintentional and intentional injuries are a major cause of morbidity and mortality among children under the age of 19. The large number of premature death and disabilities due to injury and accompanying high economic cost, including public sector expenditures, emphasize the need to reduce the burden of injury. Productivity losses are greater from injury than from the three other leading causes of death--heart disease, stroke and cancer. Implementation of known injury-control interventions can substantially reduce the incidence, severity, and accompanying cost of injury. Because financial resources are limited, decision-makers need to consider the cost and effectiveness of alternative prevention strategies. Injury causes with the highest cost per injury could make a priority, especially within maternal and child health programs; as an alternative, projected total injury cost could determine program priority.