Establishing a Regional Trauma Preventable/Potentially Preventable Death Rate

Area of Science:

• Trauma care research
• Public health surveillance
• Injury prevention science

Background:

• The National Academies of Sciences estimated a 20% trauma preventable death rate nationally.
• Accurate preventable death rates are crucial for developing effective trauma system strategies.
• Previous estimates lacked robust data, hindering targeted quality improvement efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the trauma preventable/potentially preventable death rate (PPPDR) in a large, diverse Texas county.
• To establish a data-driven understanding of preventable trauma mortality.
• To inform strategies for improving trauma care and reducing deaths.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 1848 death records from Harris County, TX in 2014.
• Assessment of patient demographics, injury mechanisms, causes, timing, and locations of death.
• Categorization of deaths as preventable, potentially preventable, or nonpreventable using uniform criteria.

Main Results:

• The trauma PPPDR was calculated at 36.2%, significantly higher than national estimates.
• Hemorrhage was a leading cause of prehospital preventable deaths (55.1%).
• Sepsis and traumatic brain injury were major contributors to in-hospital preventable deaths.

Conclusions:

• The actual trauma PPPDR in Harris County is nearly double the national estimate.
• Findings provide critical data to target research, prevention, and interventions across the trauma care continuum.
• This study underscores the need for localized data to optimize trauma system performance.