Pediatric hospitalizations for bicycle-related injuries

To determine the incidence of bicycle-related injury hospitalizations among children and adolescents 20 years of age and younger and to examine the associated use of healthcare resources.

Nationally representative data from the 2003 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Kids' Inpatient Database (KID).

National estimates of hospitalization for bicycle-related injuries according to patient demographics, type of injury, total hospital charges, and length of hospital stay.

In 2003, an estimated 10,700 children were hospitalized for a bicycle-related injury in the USA. Inpatient charges totaled nearly $200 million with a mean charge of $18,654 per hospitalization. The national rate was 12.7 hospitalizations per 100,000 children. Young adolescents aged 10-13 years accounted for the highest percentage of cases (36.6%) followed by children aged 6-9 years (25.1%). Most patients were male (76.7%) and resided in an urban area (94.4%). A head injury was diagnosed in one out of three hospitalized bicyclists; 30% were due to a motor vehicle collision.

Pediatric bicycle-related hospitalizations are a significant public health problem. The morbidity and mortality among children and the economic costs to society are large. The patient characteristics and injury types identified by this study should be used to develop targeted prevention strategies.