Pediatric traumas and neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics: A population based study
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In brief
In brief
Population-based study of 11,742 ambulance contacts in Helsinki found pediatric traumatic emergencies occur more frequently in lower socioeconomic neighborhoods, with associations to income, unemployment, and education levels. Higher pediatric population density showed protective effects, suggesting urban planning interventions may reduce trauma disparities in children.
Written by the GCMD Library team from the article.
Abstract
Background
Identifying pediatric populations at risk for traumas would enable development of emergency medical services and emergency departments for children. Elucidation of the nature of socioeconomic differences in the incidence of pediatric out-of-hospital emergencies is needed to overcome inequities in child health.
Methods
We retrieved all ambulance contacts during 17.12.2014–16.12.2018 involving children (0–15 years) in Helsinki, Finland and separated traumatic and nontraumatic emergencies. We compared the incidences of these emergencies in the pediatric population with socioeconomic markers of the scene of the emergency and of the residential area of the child.
Results
Of 11,742 ambulance contacts involving children 4113 (35.0%) were traumatic. Traumatic emergencies occurred more often in neighborhoods with lower median income/household (P=0.043) and were more common in children living in areas with lower median income/inhabitant (P=0.001), higher unemployment (P<0.001), and lower education (P<0.001). The associations were weaker for traumatic than nontraumatic emergencies. Higher proportion of a pediatric population in a residential area (P=0.005) had a protective effect. Exclusion of clinically unnecessary ambulance responses did not change the results.
Conclusion
Traumatic emergencies in children are more common in areas with lower socioeconomic status.
The possible protective effect of urban planning merits further studies.
Type of study
Prognostic.
Level of evidence
II.