126 - Pediatric Injury Mapping in Houston Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Sunday, April 24, 2022
3:30 PM – 6:00 PM US MT
Poster Number: 126 Publication Number: 126.329
Malvi Mehta, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States; Michelle Ruda, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
Medical Student McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Houston, Texas, United States
Background: Accidental and non-accidental injuries are a major cause of mortality in pediatric patients of all ages. During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many emergency departments and hospitals saw a perceived increase in pediatric injuries as more children and teenagers were staying at home.
Objective: As part of a multi-site national study through the Injury Free Coalition for Kids (IFCK), we examined the incidence and mechanisms of pediatric injuries in the Emergency Department (ED) during the COVID-19 shelter-in-place period in 2020 compared with the same time period in 2019. Using zip code data, we aimed to localize different injury mechanisms to specific areas in Houston to better target community interventions. Injury mechanisms included burns, falls, child abuse and neglect, motor vehicle/pedestrian injuries, and firearm related injuries.
Design/Methods: This is a retrospective chart review study in which approximately 2,000 pediatric patients less than 18 years of age with at least one ICD-10 code for injury were included. ED visits during January 1, 2020 to September 30, 2020 were compared with the same time period in 2019. Data was abstracted directly from the EMR and transferred to a secure, password encoded Excel file. Mechanisms of injuries were defined and separated by ICD-10 codes. Other patient demographic information collected included age, gender, race, ethnicity, and zip code. Zip code data was used to target areas where specific injuries were occurring most frequently.
Results: When comparing frequencies of different injury mechanisms from 2019 to 2020, there was an overall increase in firearm and burn related injuries during the COVID-19 lockdown period. There was a decline in falls, motor vehicle accident injuries, and child maltreatment in 2020 compared to 2019. Firearm related injuries were most prevalent in south and east Houston. The general northwest Houston area had higher numbers of motor vehicle and burn related injuries. Burns and child maltreatment were more common in the southwest Houston area.Conclusion(s): Although some predicted an overall decline in pediatric ED visits during COVID-19, our local data maintains there was a slight increase in pediatric ED injuries in 2020 compared to 2019. This may be related to Houston’s shelter-in-place order which resulted in children being at home and therefore more vulnerable to injuries such as firearm and burn incidents. Decreases in motor vehicle and child abuse/neglect injuries could be explained by fewer adolescents on the roads and underreporting of child maltreatment due to fewer children at in-person school. Malvi Mehta CVMalvi Mehta CV.pdf Frequency of Pediatric Burn Injuries by Zip Code in 2020This graph shows an example of the distribution of pediatric burn related injuries in the Houston area from 2020 (during pandemic).