title: Mapping pediatric injuries to target prevention, education, and outreach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Initiatives exist to prevent pediatric injuries, but targeting these interventions to specific populations is challenging. We hypothesized that mapping pediatric injuries by zip code could be used to identify regions requiring more interventions and resources.
  
  
  METHODS
  We queried the trauma registries of two level I trauma centers for children 0-17years of age injured between 2009 and 2013 with home zip codes in our state. Maps were created to identify outlier zip codes. Multivariate linear regression analysis identified predictors within these zip codes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 5380 children who resided in the state and were admitted for traumatic injuries during the study period, with hospital costs totaling more than 200 million dollars. Choropleth mapping of patient addresses identified outlier zip codes in our metro area with higher incidences of specific mechanisms of injury and greater hospital charges. Multivariate analysis identified demographic features associated with higher rates of pediatric injuries and hospital charges, to further target interventions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We identified outlier zip codes in our metro area with higher frequencies of pediatric injuries and higher costs for treatment. These data have helped obtain funding for prevention and education efforts. Techniques such as those presented here are becoming more important as evidence based public health initiatives expand.
  
  
  METHODS
  Type of Study: Cost Effectiveness, II.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States. Electronic address: Camille.stewart@ucdenver.edu.
authors.forename: Camille L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States.
authors.forename: Shannon N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Acker
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pyle
authors.affiliation: Children's Health Advocacy Institute, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States.
authors.forename: Dwayne S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States; Department of Surgery, Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, CO, United States; Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States.
authors.forename: Denis D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Bensard
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States; Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States.
authors.forename: Steven L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Moulton
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D017722:Hospital Charges / Q000639:trends*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012042:Registries; D014193:Trauma Centers / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
keywords: Costs; Geographical analysis; Outreach; Pediatric trauma