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Pediatric Window Falls: Factors Related to Clinical Outcomes Within a State Trauma Registry
Laura Waagmeester1, David Sheridan1, Amber Lin2
1Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine.
Insights
Pediatric window falls are common in Portland, Oregon, with most children falling from second-story windows. Mapping identified injury clusters, suggesting targeted prevention strategies for these high-risk areas.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Trauma
- Injury Prevention
- Public Health Surveillance
Background:
- Accidental injuries are a significant cause of pediatric morbidity and mortality.
- Unintentional window falls are a common, yet preventable, cause of pediatric emergency department visits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the demographics and characteristics of pediatric window falls in Portland, Oregon.
- To identify geographic clusters of pediatric window fall injuries within the Portland metropolitan area.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective chart review of children treated at Portland trauma centers for unintentional window falls (2005-2016).
- Visuospatial mapping using specific fall addresses to identify injury clusters.
Main Results:
- 399 pediatric patients included; median age 3 years, 66% male.
- Most falls (84%) were from second-story windows; 1% mortality.
- Hard surface landing and witnessed loss of consciousness were associated with severe injury.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric window fall demographics align with previous studies in major metropolitan areas.
- Visuospatial mapping identified geographic clusters for targeted prevention efforts.
- While mortality is low, many children require significant medical workup and hospitalization.
Background:
Accidental injuries are a common cause of morbidity and mortality in pediatrics. Among these, unintentional window falls are a common but preventable reason for emergency department presentations.
Objective:
The objective of this study was to describe the demographics and characteristics of pediatric window falls and to identify geographic clusters of injury occurrences in Portland, Oregon.
Methods:
Children treated at trauma centers in Portland, Oregon for unintentional window falls between 2005 and 2016 were identified retrospectively and data were collected exclusively from chart review. We then used specific fall addresses to create maps to visually identify clusters within the Portland metropolitan area.
Results:
A total of 399 patients were included; median age was 3 years, with a male predominance (66%). Mortality was 1%. Most of the children fell from 2nd story windows (84%). Most children received at least one computed tomography scan, and the majority (72%) were admitted to the hospital. Landing on a hard surface (odds ratio [OR] 6.33, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.22-12.46) and witnessed loss of consciousness (OR 2.11, 95% CI 1.04-4.25) were associated with increased odds of severe injury. Mapping visually demonstrated clusters in many neighborhoods that did not overlap with areas of highest population density.
Conclusion:
Pediatric window falls in Oregon follow demographic trends previously identified by studies of window falls in other major metropolitan areas. Although the risk of death was low, many patients required workup and hospitalization. Using visuospatial mapping, we were able to identify geographic clusters of falls in the Portland area, where future preventative strategies could target these higher-risk areas.
