Trends in hospitalisation rates for road traffic injuries in child motor vehicle passengers in New South Wales, July 1998--June 2005.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse changes in the incidence of injuries requiring hospitalisation for child passengers in motor vehicle crashes.


METHODS
Population-based study of children (aged 0 -15 years) residing in New South Wales and admitted to hospital for injuries resulting from a traffic crash in the period 1 July 1998 - 30 June 2005, identified from the NSW Inpatient Statistics Collection.


METHODS
Age-standardised rates of hospitalisation for injuries, and trends by inpatient demographics, severity of injuries, and injury sites and types.


RESULTS
2297 children were hospitalised for injuries sustained in a motor vehicle crash over the study period. The overall hospitalisation rate for injuries was relatively constant, with a non-significant decline of - 0.4% (95% CI, - 3.1% to 2.3%). The rate of hospitalisation for serious injuries also declined non-significantly (- 5.5% [95% CI, -11.8% to 1.1%]). Only hospitalisation rates for traumatic brain injuries declined significantly (-11.1% [95% CI, -19.0% to - 2.8%]) over the study period.


CONCLUSIONS
The rate of hospitalisation for injuries to NSW-resident child motor vehicle passengers due to traffic crashes has not significantly decreased. High hospitalisation rates and the subsequent burden to the community and public health system make further injury prevention efforts for child motor vehicle passengers a priority.
Du
Wei
W
NSW Injury Risk Management Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia. w.du@unsw.edu.au
Finch
Caroline F
CF
Hayen
Andrew
A
Hatfield
Julie
J
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology