Economic Conditions May Contribute to Increased Violence toward Children: A Nationwide Population-Based Analysis of Pediatric Injuries in Taiwanese Emergency Departments

Yueh-Ping Liu, Ren-Jun Hsu, Mei-Hwan Wu, Chun-Chih Peng, Shu-Ting Chang, Wei-Te Lei, Tzu-Lin Yeh, Jui-Ming Liu and Chien-Yu Lin
Additional contact information
Yueh-Ping Liu: Department of Emergency Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 100, Taiwan
Ren-Jun Hsu: Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan
Mei-Hwan Wu: Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan
Chun-Chih Peng: Department of Pediatrics, MacKay Children’s Hospital, Taipei 104, Taiwan
Shu-Ting Chang: Department of Pediatrics, BinKun Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Taoyuan 324, Taiwan
Wei-Te Lei: Department of Pediatrics, Hsinchu MacKay Memorial Hospital, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan
Tzu-Lin Yeh: Department of Pediatrics, Hsinchu MacKay Memorial Hospital, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan
Jui-Ming Liu: Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan
Chien-Yu Lin: Department of Pediatrics, Hsinchu MacKay Memorial Hospital, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 2, 1-10

Abstract: Childhood injuries are unfortunately common. Analysis procedures may assist professionals who work with children with developing preventive measures for protecting children’s wellness. This study explores the causes of pediatric injuries presenting to an emergency department in Taiwan. This nationwide, population-based study was conducted using data from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan (NHIRD). Patients aged <18 years were identified from approximately one million individuals listed in the NHIRD. We followed up with these patients for nine years and analyzed the causes of injuries requiring presentation to an emergency department. Variables of interest were age, sex, injury mechanisms, and temporal trends. A total of 274,028 children were identified in our study. Between 2001 and 2009, the leading causes of pediatric injuries treated in emergency departments were motor vehicle injuries, falls, and homicide. The overall incidence of injuries declined over the course of the study because of reductions in motor vehicle accidents and falls. The incidence of homicide increased during the study period, particularly between 2007 and 2009. A moderately inverse correlation between homicide rate and economic growth was observed (correlation coefficient: −0.613, p = 0.041). There was a general decline in pediatric injuries between 2001 and 2009. Public policy changes, including motorcycle helmet laws and increases in alcohol taxes, may have contributed to this decline. Unfortunately, the incidence of homicide increased over the course of the study. Ongoing financial crises may have contributed to this increase. Multidisciplinary efforts are required to reduce homicide and reinforce the importance of measures that protect children against violence.

Keywords: pediatric injuries; unintentional injuries; National Health Insurance Research Database; NHIRD; emergency department; financial crisis; public health; economics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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