Related Experiment Videos
Pediatric falls from buildings: defining the burden of injury in Hawai'i
Joy Sarkar1, Stacey Q Wolfe1, Cora Speck1
1Tripler Army Medical Center, Department of Surgery, Honolulu, HI (JS, SQW, KE, MJE).
Insights
Pediatric falls from buildings are a significant concern in Hawai'i. This study found Hawai'i has higher nonfatal fall injury rates than Dallas and hospitalization rates exceeding national averages.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatric Injury Prevention
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Falls from buildings represent a critical cause of childhood injury nationwide.
- Previous research has not specifically addressed pediatric falls from buildings in Hawai'i.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the demographics and injury circumstances of pediatric falls from buildings in Hawai'i.
- To compare Hawai'i's pediatric fall data with other US cities.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of hospital billing data (2005-2011) for nonfatal injuries in children aged 10 and under.
- Review of the Hawai'i death certificate database (1991-2011) for fatal falls in the same age group.
- Data collection included demographics, injury circumstances, and treatment levels.
Main Results:
- 416 nonfatal injuries and 86 hospitalizations were identified over 7 years.
- Hawai'i County had double the nonfatal injury rate of Honolulu and Maui Counties, and triple that of Kaua'i County.
- Nonfatal injury incidence was three times higher than in Dallas; hospitalization rates were double the national average and NYC's.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric falls from buildings in Hawai'i present a significant public health issue with elevated injury and hospitalization rates compared to national benchmarks.
- Geographic disparities exist within Hawai'i, with Hawai'i County experiencing higher rates.
- Educational and environmental modification strategies are recommended to mitigate these preventable injuries.
Abstract:
Falls from buildings, including houses, are an important cause of childhood injury in the United States; however, no study has previously examined the impact of this problem in Hawai'i. The objective of this study is to categorize the demographics and injury circumstances of pediatric falls from buildings in Hawai'i and compare to other US cities. Patients age 10 and under who were injured in nonfatal accidental falls from buildings in Hawai'i between 2005 and 2011 were identified retrospectively from a statewide repository of hospital billing data. The Hawai'i death certificate database was searched separately for deaths in children age 10 and under due to falls from buildings, with data available from 1991 through 2011. Data was reviewed for demographics, circumstances surrounding the injury, and level of hospital treatment. During the 7-year period for nonfatal injuries, 416 fall-related injuries were identified in children age 10 and younger. Of these, 86 required hospitalization. The rate of nonfatal injury in Hawai'i County was twice that of Honolulu and Maui Counties, and three times that of Kaua'i County. There were 9 fatal falls over a 21-year period. The population based incidence for nonfatal injuries was three-fold higher than that reported in the city of Dallas. The rate of hospitalizations following building falls was more than twice as high as the national average, and that of New York City, but similar to that of California. Strategies for education and environmental modification are reviewed, which may be helpful in reducing the incidence of pediatric falls from buildings in Hawai'i.