HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER		Author Keyword(s) Vol Page [Advanced]

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Johnson, S. J Articles by Grossman, D. C Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Johnson, S. J Articles by Grossman, D. C

Injury hospitalizations among American Indian youth in Washington

¹ Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, Seattle
² Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, Seattle and Departments of Pediatrics and Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle

Correspondence to:
David Grossman, MD, MPH, Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, 325 Ninth Ave, Box 359960, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
(e-mail: navajo{at}u.washington.edu).

Objective—To determine the rate and causes of hospitalizations for injury among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth in the state of Washington, and to compare this with the rate of hospitalizations for injury among youth of all races.

Methods—Subjects were aged 0–19 years and were admitted to civilian hospitals for care of an injury (International Classification of Diseases N codes 800–995) in Washington between 1990 and 1994. Deaths occurring in the pre-hospital setting and emergency department are not included. Using several fields of identifying information, the Washington state hospital discharge database was linked with the Indian Health Service (IHS) patient registration database to identify AI/AN youth. Denominator data included the total age specific IHS user population for American Indians and US Census derived population estimates. Incidence ratios (IRs) were calculated to compare rates of hospitalization between AI/AN youth and all youth in Washington.

Results—A total of 694 and 29 048 hospitalizations for injury were identified for AI/AN youth and all races, respectively. The rate of hospitalization for injuries among AI/AN youth was 507 discharges per 100 000 youth (IR = 1.30; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20 to 1.40. The leading mechanism of injury was motor vehicles (IR 1.73, CI 1.49 to 2.01), followed by falls (IR 0.95, CI 0.79 to 1.15), and poisoning (IR 1.20, CI 0.80 to 1.78). The disparity was greater for intentional injuries (IR 1.71, CI 1.44 to 2.04). The highest IR for all unintentional injuries was for injuries from fire (IR 2.35, CI 1.42 to 3.87). AI/AN children aged 15–19 had the greatest disparity for rates of injury hospitalization (IR 1.4, CI 1.25 to 1.56).

Conclusion—AI/AN youth in Washington had a higher hospitalization rate for injury compared with all youth in the state. Disparities were greatest for injuries related to motor vehicles and assaults. When linked, hospital discharge data can be used for surveillance of AI/AN hospitalizations.

Keywords: Indians, North American; suicide, attempted; epidemiology

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L R Berger Injury prevention and indigenous peoples Inj. Prev., September 1, 2002; 8(3): 175 - 176. [Full Text] [PDF]

				C DiGuiseppi, P Edwards, C Godward, I Roberts, and A Wade Urban residential fire and flame injuries: a population based study Inj. Prev., December 1, 2000; 6(4): 250 - 254. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. L. Liu, J. W. Stout, M. Sullivan, D. Solet, D. K. Shay, and D. C. Grossman Asthma and Bronchiolitis Hospitalizations Among American Indian Children Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, October 1, 2000; 154(10): 991 - 996. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]