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Establishing a regional pediatric trauma preventable/potentially preventable death rate
Stacy A Drake1, John B Holcomb2, Yijiong Yang3
1Texas A&M University, Houston, TX, USA. sadrake@tamu.edu.
Pediatric Surgery International
|November 9, 2019
Summary
Pediatric trauma deaths are less preventable than adult trauma deaths, but opportunities exist to improve care, especially for traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in younger children.
Area of Science:
- Trauma care research
- Pediatric emergency medicine
- Public health analysis
Background:
- Trauma is a leading cause of death in children.
- Studies on preventable trauma deaths in pediatric populations are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the preventable/potentially preventable death rate (PPPDR) in pediatric trauma.
- To compare pediatric and adult trauma death rates.
- To identify areas for improving pediatric trauma care.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of trauma death records in Harris County, Texas (2014).
- Analysis of pediatric (<18 years) and adult trauma deaths.
- Descriptive and Chi-squared tests comparing demographic characteristics, injury mechanisms, death location, and survival time.
Main Results:
- 105 pediatric and 1738 adult trauma deaths were analyzed.
- Pediatric PPPDR was 21.0% vs. 37.2% in adults (p=0.001).
- Fewer pediatric deaths resulted from blunt trauma (19.6%) compared to adults (48.4%) (p<0.001).
- Preventable traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) were more common in the youngest pediatric age group (0-5 years).
Conclusions:
- Pediatric trauma care has opportunities for improvement, particularly in initial acute care.
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) management in pediatric trauma warrants further attention.
- While overall PPPDR is lower in children, specific interventions can reduce mortality.
