This project reports the results of a public-private collaboration between the Knox County Health Department and all major local health systems to determine the local leading causes of childhood unintentional injuries. The project demonstrates the feasibility of using E codes from local emergency departments to create a county level injury surveillance system. E code data specific to children ages 0 to 18 years were collected from five major health systems in Knox County between January 1, 1996 and December 31, 1997. Data were grouped into the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention framework for presenting injury mortality and morbidity data, and rates per 100,000 population were calculated for each cause of injury for cross-category comparisons. Gender, ethnicity, age group, and estimated cost comparisons were also made. For both 1996 and 1997, falls were the leading cause of childhood unintentional injuries in Knox County followed by being struck by or against an object or person, motor vehicle traffic crashes, cut or pierce injuries, overexertion, natural/environmental causes, and pedal cycle crashes. Across all causes of injury, the rate per 100,000 population declined by 2 percent between 1996 and 1997. The estimated financial burden of childhood unintentional injuries in Knox County exceeded 27 million dollars each year. Recommendations to reduce the burden of injury include establishing a biennial emergency department surveillance system that collects E codes as well as principal diagnosis data. Local coalitions should use this data to design interventions, allocate resources, and evaluate their efforts on an ongoing basis.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to: 1. Identify issues associated with designing and implementing a local childhood unintentional injury surveillance system; 2. Apply national cost estimates to local external cause of injury data to determine the financial burden injuries impose on a community.
Keywords: Injuries, Surveillance
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.