Injury hospitalizations: using the nationwide inpatient sample.
BACKGROUND
The aims of this study are to develop estimates of discharge rates and frequencies for all injury-related hospitalizations in the United States for the year 2000 and to characterize patterns of hospitalized injury and anatomic region using a modified Barell Matrix. The utility of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) for providing national estimates of hospitalized injuries will be discussed.


METHODS
This study is a retrospective analysis of hospital discharge data using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. All hospital discharges with a primary diagnosis of injury were selected. Total number of hospitalizations, annual discharge rates, and 95% confidence intervals were calculated by body region, nature of injury, and injury mechanism. Number of injuries by age, sex, body region, and nature of injury were also calculated for falls and motor vehicle crashes.


RESULTS
In 2000, there were an estimated 1,690,780 hospital discharges with a primary injury diagnosis. Discharge rates were highest for the oldest age groups. Falls and motor vehicle crashes were the leading causes of hospitalization. Fracture was the most common diagnosis and lower extremity injury was the most common anatomic region.


CONCLUSIONS
Hospital discharge data adds another dimension to our understanding of the total injury burden. The Nationwide Inpatient Sample may be useful in providing national estimates of hospital discharges.
Greenspan
Arlene I
AI
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30334, USA. aig0@cdc.gov
Coronado
Victor G
VG
Mackenzie
Ellen J
EJ
Schulman
Jane
J
Pierce
Ben
B
Provenzano
George
G
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy