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Hospital-Based Emergency Department Visits With Pediatric Burns: Characteristics and Outcomes
Shelly Abramowicz, Veerasathpurush Allareddy1, Min Kyeong Lee2
1Department of Orthodontics, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL.
Insights
Pediatric burn injuries are a significant public health issue, requiring substantial emergency department (ED) resources. This study analyzed over 746,000 ED visits, revealing key injury patterns and high treatment costs in the United States.
Area of Science:
- Emergency Medicine
- Pediatric Burn Injuries
- Public Health
Background:
- Burn injuries represent a substantial cause of morbidity in children.
- Understanding the epidemiology and resource utilization for pediatric burns is crucial for effective healthcare planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the characteristics, demographics, and outcomes of pediatric burn injuries presenting to U.S. emergency departments.
- To quantify the economic burden associated with pediatric burn treatment in emergency settings.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) database from 2008-2013.
- Included all patients under 18 years with a burn injury diagnosis.
- Employed descriptive statistics to analyze demographics, burn types/causes, disposition, charges, and outcomes.
Main Results:
- Over 746,000 pediatric burn emergency department (ED) visits occurred between 2008-2013.
- The most common burn locations were wrists/hands, lower limbs, and upper limbs; common causes included electric appliances and hot liquids.
- ED visits incurred significant costs ($708.7 million total), with hospitalization charges reaching $1.7 billion.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric burn injuries necessitate extensive emergency department resources for care.
- This research underscores the considerable burden and impact of pediatric burn injuries across the United States.
Objective:
The objective of this study was to examine the characteristics and outcomes in children presenting to emergency departments (EDs) with burn injuries.
Methods:
The Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) for the years 2008 to 2013 was used. All patients younger than 18 years who visited a hospital-based ED with a burn injury were selected. The study focused on (1) demographics (age, sex, insurance status), (2) characteristics of burns (types, causes), (3) disposition status after ED/hospitalization, (4) charges (ED and hospital), and (5) patient outcomes. Inclusion criteria were a visit to ED in the United States with a burn. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the findings.
Results:
During the study period, there were 746,593 ED visits due to burn injuries. Majority were insured by Medicaid (52.8%). Most frequent injuries were burns of wrists/hands (39.5%), lower limbs (24.1%), and upper limb-except wrist/hand (20.1%). The most common causes of burns were heat from electric appliances (37.1%) or hot liquids and vapors (24.8%). Following the ED visit, 89.1% were discharged routinely, and 4.3% were admitted. Mean charge per patient per ED visit was $1117. Total ED charges across the United States was $708.7 million. When admitted, mean length of stay was 5.7 days. Total hospitalization charge across the United States was $1.7 billion.
Conclusions:
Pediatric burn injuries require significant resources for stabilization and treatment by EDs. The present study highlights the burden and impact of pediatric burn injuries in the United States.
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