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Epidemiology of terror-related versus non-terror-related traumatic injury in children

Limor Aharonson-Daniel1, Yehezkel Waisman, Yehuda L Dannon

  • 1Israel National Center for Trauma and Emergency Medicine Research, Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Services ResearchTel Hashomer, Israel. limorad@gertner.health.gov.il

Pediatrics
|October 3, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric terror-related trauma is more severe than other childhood injuries, leading to increased intensive care needs and longer hospital stays for young victims. This highlights the critical impact of terrorism on child health systems.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Trauma Epidemiology
  • Public Health and Terrorism
  • Emergency Medicine

Background:

  • Hundreds of children in Israel have been injured in terrorist attacks over the past two years.
  • There is limited data on the epidemiology of terror-related trauma in children and its impact on healthcare.
  • Understanding these injuries is crucial for preparing medical personnel for future events.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review Israeli experience with medical care for young victims of terrorism.
  • To analyze the epidemiology of pediatric terror-related injuries.
  • To inform preparedness strategies for medical personnel.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of the Israel National Trauma Registry (October 2000 - December 2001).
  • Inclusion criteria: patients <18 years hospitalized for terror-related injuries.
  • Comparison with pediatric patients hospitalized for non-terror-related trauma.

Main Results:

  • 138 children hospitalized for terror-related injuries vs. 8363 for non-terror-related injuries.
  • Terror-trauma group: older (mean 12.3 years), more penetrating injuries (54%), higher rates of torso/head injuries, and critical injuries (25% vs 3%).
  • Increased ICU use (33% vs 8%), longer hospitalization (5 days vs 2 days), and greater need for rehabilitation (17% vs 1%) in the terror-trauma group.

Conclusions:

  • Terror-related injuries in children are significantly more severe than non-terror-related injuries.
  • These severe injuries place a substantial increased demand on acute care services for children.
  • Findings underscore the need for specialized preparedness for pediatric mass casualty events.
Abstract

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