title: Hospitalizations for traumatic injuries among children in Maryland: trends in incidence and severity: 1979 through 1988.
abstract: Trends in incidence and severity of hospitalized injury among children aged 0 through 13 years in the state of Maryland from 1979 through 1988 (n = 35,746) were examined using routinely reported hospital discharge data. Hospital discharge rates declined over the study period from 509 per 100,000 population in 1979 to 320 in 1988. There was a decline in incidence trends for both races. However, the decrease in the nonwhite population was smaller than in whites. Analysis of incidence rates for specific Injury Severity Score groups revealed a declining trend in all Injury Severity Score groups, although the mildest group (Injury Severity Score 1 through 4) had the most notable decline of 44% compared with an average decline of 20% in the other severity groups. These data suggest a change in admission practices of mildly injured children as a major cause for the observed overall decline in hospitalization rates. The smaller decrease in the hospitalization rates of non-white children compared with white children requires further study to determine the cause.
authors.affiliation: Health Services Research and Development Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Marganitt
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: MacKenzie
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Deshpande
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Ramzy
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Haller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002056:Burns / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000453:epidemiology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008396:Maryland / Q000453:epidemiology; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011159:Population Surveillance; D044469:Racial Groups; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*