Introduction: The Pasadena Safe Communities Injury Surveillance System is a comprehensive data collection system that overcomes barriers inherent to other common systems. This system allows the linking of police, hospital emergency and admissions records, coroners’ data, and emergency medical services records together to account for a case’s complete history from initial emergency responder and police contact through their hospital discharge. Since emergency department and urgent care records are included, a wider spectrum of injury severity is reported through this injury surveillance system allowing analysis of the impact of both severe and mild injuries on the publics’ health. Methods: Beginning in July of 1997 data elements have been abstracted on a case-by-case basis from Huntington Memorial Hospital, Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office, Los Angeles County Vital Records Department, Pasadena Fire and Rescue Department, and Pasadena City Police Traffic Section. Cases defined as pedestrians and bicycles involved in a collision with a motor vehicle in the City of Pasadena from September 1998 to September 2000. Results: There were a total of 153 incidents, resulting in a total of 161 injuries and three deaths from September 1998 through September 1999. Of these incidents, 93 involved pedestrians, causing 100 injuries, and 59 involved bicyclists, resulting in 60 injuries. Children 19 years and younger had the highest rates of injury in this study. The average cost of hospital charges was $6,000 for pedestrian injuries and $1,670 for bicycle injuries.
Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to: 1) describe the use of surveillance systems in the prevention of pedestrian and bicycle injuries. 2) describe the demographic characteristics of pedestrians and bicyclists injured in collision with motor vehicles in Pasadena. 3) describe the cost to society of injuries from pedestrian and bicycle versus motor vehicle collisions.
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.