Cost of orthopedic injuries sustained in motorcycle accidents.
Fifty-one serial admissions to the orthopedic services at the University of California, Davis, Medical Center, Sacramento, for motorcycle accident trauma with open fractures were reviewed. Fifty-five percent of those tested were alcohol intoxicated at the time of admission. Seventy-five percent carried no insurance of any kind, and for the total group, 72% of the cost of acute hospitalization (+17,704 per patient) was paid by the state of California, with an additional 10% paid by other tax-based sources. Care of motorcycle trauma consumes a substantial portion of public health care funds in California. This could be reduced by legislative action concerning helmet use, licensing, and rigid enforcement of compulsory insurance.
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000191:economics*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000150:complications; D002140:California; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005380:Financing, Government; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000191:economics* / Q000209:etiology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000431:Ethanol