Motorcycle helmet effectiveness in reducing head, face and brain injuries by state and helmet law.

BACKGROUND: Despite evidence that motorcycle helmets reduce morbidity and mortality, helmet laws and rates of helmet use vary by state in the U.S. METHODS: We pooled data from eleven states: five with universal laws requiring all motorcyclists to wear a helmet, and six with partial laws requiring only a subset of motorcyclists to wear a helmet. Data were combined in the Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System's General Use Model and included motorcycle crash records probabilistically linked to emergency department and inpatient discharges for years 2005-2008. Medical outcomes were compared between partial and universal helmet law settings. We estimated adjusted relative risks (RR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for head, facial, traumatic brain, and moderate to severe head/facial injuries associated with helmet use within each helmet law setting using generalized log-binomial regression. RESULTS: Reported helmet use was higher in universal law states (88 % vs. 42 %). Median charges, adjusted for inflation and differences in state-incomes, were higher in partial law states (emergency department $1987 vs. $1443; inpatient $31,506 vs. $25,949). Injuries to the head and face, including traumatic brain injuries, were more common in partial law states. Effectiveness estimates of helmet use were higher in partial law states (adjusted-RR (CI) of head injury: 2.1 (1.9-2.2) partial law single vehicle; 1.4 (1.2, 1.6) universal law single vehicle; 1.8 (1.6-2.0) partial law multi-vehicle; 1.2 (1.1-1.4) universal law multi-vehicle). CONCLUSIONS: Medical charges and rates of head, facial, and brain injuries among motorcyclists were lower in universal law states. Helmets were effective in reducing injury in both helmet law settings; lower effectiveness estimates were observed in universal law states.

Motor Vehicle Crashes, Medical Outcomes, and Hospital Charges Among Children Aged 1-12 Years - Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System, 11 States, 2005-2008.

PROBLEM: Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death among children. Age- and size-appropriate restraint use is an effective way to prevent motor vehicle-related injuries and deaths. However, children are not always properly restrained while riding in a motor vehicle, and some are not restrained at all, which increases their risk for injury and death in a crash. REPORTING PERIOD: 2005-2008. DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM: The Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System (CODES) is a multistate program facilitated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to probabilistically link police crash reports and hospital databases for traffic safety analyses. Eleven participating states (Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, and Utah) submitted data to CODES during the reporting period. Descriptive analysis was used to describe drivers and child passengers involved in motor vehicle crashes and to summarize crash and medical outcomes. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were used to compare a child passenger's likelihood of sustaining specific types of injuries by restraint status (optimal, suboptimal, or unrestrained) and seating location (front or back seat). Because of data constraints, optimal restraint use was defined as a car seat or booster seat use for children aged 1-7 years and seat belt use for children aged 8-12 years. Suboptimal restraint use was defined as seat belt use for children aged 1-7 years. Unrestrained was defined as no use of car seat, booster seat, or seat belt for children aged 1-12 years. RESULTS: Optimal restraint use in the back seat declined with child's age (1 year: 95.9%, 5 years: 95.4%, 7 years: 94.7%, 8 years: 77.4%, 10 years: 67.5%, 12 years: 54.7%). Child restraint use was associated with driver restraint use; 41.3% of children riding with unrestrained drivers also were unrestrained compared with 2.2% of children riding with restrained drivers. Child restraint use also was associated with impaired driving due to alcohol or drug use; 16.4% children riding with drivers suspected of alcohol or drug use were unrestrained compared with 2.9% of children riding with drivers not suspected of such use. Optimally restrained and suboptimally restrained children were less likely to sustain a traumatic brain injury than unrestrained children. The 90th percentile hospital charges for children aged 4-7 years who were in motor vehicle crashes were $1,630.00 and $1,958.00 for those optimally restrained in a back seat and front seat, respectively; $2,035.91 and $3,696.00 for those suboptimally restrained in a back seat and front seat, respectively; and $9,956.60 and $11,143.85 for those unrestrained in a back seat and front seat, respectively. INTERPRETATION: Proper car seat, booster seat, and seat belt use among children in the back seat prevents injuries and deaths, as well as averts hospital charges. However, the number, severity, and cost of injuries among children in crashes who were not optimally restrained or who were seated in a front seat indicates the need for improvements in proper use of age- and size-appropriate car seats, booster seats, and seat belts in the back seat. PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS: Effective interventions for increasing proper child restraint use could be universally implemented by states and communities to prevent motor vehicle-related injuries among children and their resulting costs.

Hospital charges associated with motorcycle crash factors: a quantile regression analysis.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies of motorcycle crash (MC) related hospital charges use trauma registries and hospital records, and do not adjust for the number of motorcyclists not requiring medical attention. This may lead to conservative estimates of helmet use effectiveness. METHODS: MC records were probabilistically linked with emergency department and hospital records to obtain total hospital charges. Missing data were imputed. Multivariable quantile regression estimated reductions in hospital charges associated with helmet use and other crash factors. RESULTS: Motorcycle helmets were associated with reduced median hospital charges of $256 (42% reduction) and reduced 98th percentile of $32,390 (33% reduction). After adjusting for other factors, helmets were associated with reductions in charges in all upper percentiles studied. Quantile regression models described homogenous and heterogeneous associations between other crash factors and charges. CONCLUSIONS: Quantile regression comprehensively describes associations between crash factors and hospital charges. Helmet use among motorcyclists is associated with decreased hospital charges.

Resolution of intimate partner violence and child behavior problems after investigation for suspected child maltreatment.

OBJECTIVE To describe longitudinal change in child behavior problems associated with resolution of intimate partner violence (IPV) after an investigation for suspected child maltreatment. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING The National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, a nationally representative longitudinal sample of US households investigated for suspected child maltreatment. PARTICIPANTS The study included 320 school-aged subjects with caregiver-reported IPV in the year prior to baseline interview. Caregivers were interviewed an average of 3, 20, 36, and 81 months following investigation. MAIN EXPOSURE Resolution vs persistence of baseline IPV. Persistence was defined by report of IPV during any follow-up interview. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Clinically significant internalizing or externalizing child behavior problems. RESULTS In total, 44.6% of caregivers who reported IPV at the baseline interview reported persistent IPV. After adjusting for significant covariates, IPV resolution was associated with an 11.9% reduction in internalizing problems by 81 months (P = .03); IPV persistence was associated with persistence in baseline problems. Resolution of IPV was associated with an 18.5% reduction in externalizing problems by 20 months that was sustained at 36 and 81 months (all P < .05). Intimate partner violence persistence was associated with a steady but nonsignificant increase in externalizing behavior problems during 81 months (10.1%, P = .07). The adjusted relative risks for internalizing and externalizing behavior problems 81 months following a child protective services investigation for children exposed to persistent vs resolved IPV were 1.79 (95% CI, 0.91-3.52) and 1.88 (95% CI, 1.12-3.18), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Resolution of IPV after a child protective services investigation for suspected child maltreatment is associated with meaningful, sustained reductions in clinically significant child behavior problems.

Comparing least-squares and quantile regression approaches to analyzing median hospital charges.

BACKGROUND: Emergency department (ED) and hospital charges obtained from administrative data sets are useful descriptors of injury severity and the burden to EDs and the health care system. However, charges are typically positively skewed due to costly procedures, long hospital stays, and complicated or prolonged treatment for few patients. The median is not affected by extreme observations and is useful in describing and comparing distributions of hospital charges. A least-squares analysis employing a log transformation is one approach for estimating median hospital charges, corresponding confidence intervals (CIs), and differences between groups; however, this method requires certain distributional properties. An alternate method is quantile regression, which allows estimation and inference related to the median without making distributional assumptions. OBJECTIVES: The objective was to compare the log-transformation least-squares method to the quantile regression approach for estimating median hospital charges, differences in median charges between groups, and associated CIs. METHODS: The authors performed simulations using repeated sampling of observed statewide ED and hospital charges and charges randomly generated from a hypothetical lognormal distribution. The median and 95% CI and the multiplicative difference between the median charges of two groups were estimated using both least-squares and quantile regression methods. Performance of the two methods was evaluated. RESULTS: In contrast to least squares, quantile regression produced estimates that were unbiased and had smaller mean square errors in simulations of observed ED and hospital charges. Both methods performed well in simulations of hypothetical charges that met least-squares method assumptions. When the data did not follow the assumed distribution, least-squares estimates were often biased, and the associated CIs had lower than expected coverage as sample size increased. CONCLUSIONS: Quantile regression analyses of hospital charges provide unbiased estimates even when lognormal and equal variance assumptions are violated. These methods may be particularly useful in describing and analyzing hospital charges from administrative data sets.

Identifying work-related motor vehicle crashes in multiple databases.

OBJECTIVE: To compare and estimate the magnitude of work-related motor vehicle crashes in Utah using 2 probabilistically linked statewide databases. METHODS: Data from 2006 and 2007 motor vehicle crash and hospital databases were joined through probabilistic linkage. Summary statistics and capture-recapture were used to describe occupants injured in work-related motor vehicle crashes and estimate the size of this population. RESULTS: There were 1597 occupants in the motor vehicle crash database and 1673 patients in the hospital database identified as being in a work-related motor vehicle crash. We identified 1443 occupants with at least one record from either the motor vehicle crash or hospital database indicating work-relatedness that linked to any record in the opposing database. We found that 38.7 percent of occupants injured in work-related motor vehicle crashes identified in the motor vehicle crash database did not have a primary payer code of workers' compensation in the hospital database and 40.0 percent of patients injured in work-related motor vehicle crashes identified in the hospital database did not meet our definition of a work-related motor vehicle crash in the motor vehicle crash database. Depending on how occupants injured in work-related motor crashes are identified, we estimate the population to be between 1852 and 8492 in Utah for the years 2006 and 2007. CONCLUSIONS: Research on single databases may lead to biased interpretations of work-related motor vehicle crashes. Combining 2 population based databases may still result in an underestimate of the magnitude of work-related motor vehicle crashes. Improved coding of work-related incidents is needed in current databases.

Longitudinal experiences of children remaining at home after a first-time investigation for suspected maltreatment.

OBJECTIVE: To describe longitudinal change in risk for children remaining at home following a first-time investigation for suspected maltreatment. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study of children remaining at home following first-time investigation for maltreatment using a nationally representative sample of households involved with Child Protective Services. Outcomes include poverty, social support, caregiver depression, intimate partner violence (IPV), drug/alcohol dependence, corporal punishment, and child behavior problems at baseline, 18, and 36 months following first-time Child Protective Services investigation. We present longitudinal models to (1) estimate prevalence of risk factors at each timepoint; and (2) examine associations between risk-specific service referrals and longitudinal change in risk factor prevalence. RESULTS: Our sample represented 1057056 US children remaining at home following first-time investigation for maltreatment. Almost 100000 (9.2%) children experienced out-of-home placement within 36 months. The prevalence of poverty (44.3%), poor social support (36.3%), caregiver depression (24.4%), IPV (22.1%), and internalizing (30.0%) and externalizing (35.8%) child behavior problems was above general population prevalence at baseline and remained high over the next 36 months. Referral to risk-specific services occurred in a minority of cases, but was associated with significant longitudinal reductions in IPV, drug/alcohol dependence, and externalizing child behavior problems. CONCLUSIONS: Children remaining at home following a first-time investigation for maltreatment live with persistent risk factors for repeat maltreatment. Appropriate service referrals are uncommon, but may be associated with meaningful reduction in risk over time. Pediatricians and policy makers may be able to improve outcomes in these families with appropriate service provision and referrals.

Epidemiology of motor vehicle crashes in Utah.

OBJECTIVES: This study describes the frequency and pattern of vehicle crashes and safety belt use in Utah; the proportion of vehicle crashes involving safety belt use, alcohol, and fatigue; and the influence these factors and others have on emergency room visits or hospital admissions and on the severity of the outcome. METHODS: Data were obtained from the Utah Department of Transportation, Division of Traffic and Safety, from 1999 through 2005. Motor vehicle crash (MVC) data were linked to statewide hospital admission (inpatient) and emergency department (ED) records. RESULTS: The trend in rates of crashes significantly decreased for both males and females, with rates of crashes involving alcohol decreasing for males but increasing for females and rates of crashes involving fatigue remaining constant for males and females over the study period. Drivers not wearing a safety belt or intoxicated or fatigued were significantly more likely to have contributed to the crash, visit the emergency room, be admitted to the hospital, and experience severe injury or death. Drivers in crashes who were intoxicated or fatigued were significantly less likely to be wearing a safety belt. When a safety belt was worn at the time of the crash, sitting in the front seat was safer than in the second or third seats, and sitting on the left side of the vehicle was safer than on the right side or in the middle. However, when a safety belt was not worn at the time of the crash, sitting in the front seat was more likely associated with injury or death than in the second or third seats or sitting in the middle seat. CONCLUSION: Drivers in crashes who were intoxicated or fatigued were less likely to be wearing a safety belt and more likely to have contributed to the crash and experience serious injury or death. Severity of injury related to seat placement is moderated by safety belt use.

Comparison of factors influencing emergency department visits and hospitalization among drivers in work and nonwork-related motor vehicle crashes in Utah, 1999-2005.

This study identified contributing factors in the occurrence of motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) and the severity of crashes according to work-related status in Utah. Analyses were based on probabilistically linked data involving police crash reports and hospital inpatient and emergency department (ED) records for the years 1999-2005. Of 643,647 drivers involved in crashes, 73,437 (11.4%) went to the emergency department (ED) and 4989 (0.8%) were hospitalized. Of the drivers in crashes visiting the ED, 2330 (3.2%) were working at the time of the crash and of drivers in crashes who were hospitalized, 235 (4.7%) were working at the time of the crash. There was no significant difference between those working versus not working at the time of the crash in safety belt use (82% [53,947/66,188] for ED cases and 60% [2,489/4,176] for hospitalized cases) or fatigue (4% [2,697/70,536] for ED cases and 9% [450/4,824] for hospitalized cases) among drivers in crashes, but there was a significant difference with respect to alcohol drinking between workers versus nonworkers (ED: 1% [31/2,237] vs. 5% [3,455/68,299], P<0.001; hospitalized: 3% [7/228] vs. 15% [673/4,596], P<0.001). Of those attending the ED because of a crash, workers were significantly more likely to have broken bones, bleeding wounds, or to die. Of those hospitalized because of a crash, workers were significantly less likely to have caused the crash (65% [145/223] vs. 73% [3,315/4,566], P<0.001). Yet although those drivers who were working at the time of the crash compared with those not working were less likely to have alcohol involved or to have caused the crash, there remains room for improvement among workers with respect to these factors, as well as safety belt use and fatigue.

Evaluation of the Click It or Ticket intervention in Utah.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the Click It or Ticket (CIOT) intervention conducted in Utah by comparing changes in safety belt use using observational safety belt surveys pre- and post-intervention. METHODS: Observational surveys of safety belt use for drivers and front seat passengers (collectively referred to as front seat occupants) were conducted before and after the media and enforcement blitz of the CIOT intervention. Data were collected from 16 urban sites during the daytime and nighttime. Logistic regression and generalized estimating equations were used to compute odds ratios for safety belt use adjusted for front seat occupant characteristics. RESULTS: Overall safety belt use was observed at 76.5% pre-intervention and 84.8% post-intervention, an improvement of 8.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.2%, 11.3%). Daytime and nighttime safety belt use improved by 7.8% (95% CI: 3.5%, 12.1%) and 9.7% (95% CI: 6.4%, 13.0%), respectively. While males showed a greater improvement (9.9%) in safety belt use when compared to females (5.7%); males were still less likely to use safety belts than females. CONCLUSIONS: The CIOT intervention is associated with increased safety belt use at the sites observed in Utah, including among the two high risk groups targeted by the intervention: nighttime occupants and males.