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Socio Economic Status and Traumatic Brain Injury amongst Pediatric Populations: A Spatial Analysis in Greater
Ofer Amram1, Nadine Schuurman2, Ian Pike3
1Department of Geography, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada. oamram@sfu.ca.
Insights
Injuries are a major cause of death and illness in Canadian children. This study found that lower education levels predict higher rates of pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Vancouver, not income.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Pediatric Injury Prevention
Background:
- Injuries are the leading cause of death and morbidity in Canadian children.
- Low Socioeconomic Status (SES) is linked to higher injury prevalence.
- Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a significant public health concern.
Purpose of the Study:
- Identify pediatric TBI hotspots in greater Vancouver.
- Examine the relationship between SES and pediatric TBI rates.
- Determine SES indicators predicting TBI rates in children.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the BC Trauma Registry (BCTR) for pediatric TBI admissions (2000-2013).
- Employed spatial analysis to pinpoint TBI hotspots.
- Conducted multivariate analysis to identify correlating census variables.
Main Results:
- Identified 653 severe pediatric TBI cases in the BC Lower Mainland (2000-2013).
- TBI hotspots were concentrated in the East; low-rate clusters in affluent West areas.
- Lower educational attainment was a significant predictor of higher TBI rates (OR=1.13).
Conclusions:
- A clear link exists between SES indicators and pediatric TBI rates in Vancouver.
- Income-based SES indicators were not strong predictors of TBI in this region.
- Targeted interventions based on education levels may reduce pediatric TBI.
Introduction:
Within Canada, injuries are the leading cause of death amongst children fourteen years of age and younger, and also one of the leading causes of morbidity. Low Socio Economic Status (SES) seems to be a strong indicator of a higher prevalence of injuries. This study aims to identify hotspots for pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and examines the relationship between SES and pediatric TBI rates in greater Vancouver, British Columbia (BC), Canada.
Methods:
Pediatric TBI data from the BC Trauma Registry (BCTR) was used to identify all pediatric TBI patients admitted to BC hospitals between the years 2000 and 2013. Spatial analysis was used to identify hotspots for pediatric TBI. Multivariate analysis was used to distinguish census variables that were correlated with rates of injury.
Results:
Six hundred and fifty three severe pediatric TBI injuries occurred within the BC Lower Mainland between 2000 and 2013. High rates of injury were concentrated in the East, while low rate clusters were most common in the West of the region (more affluent neighborhoods). A low level of education was the main predictor of a high rate of injury (OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.03-1.23, p-Value 0.009).
Conclusion:
While there was a clear relationship between different SES indicators and pediatric TBI rates in greater Vancouver, income-based SES indicators did not serve as good predictors within this region.
