Citation

Macy ML, Clark SJ, Cunningham RM, Freed GL. Pediatr. Emerg. Care 2013; 29(3): 324-330.

Affiliation

From the *Department of Emergency Medicine and †Child Health Evaluation and Research (CHEAR) Unit, Division of General Pediatrics, University of Michigan; and ‡The University of Michigan Injury Center, Ann Arbor, MI.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/PEC.0b013e3182851038

PMID

23426246

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: More can be done to eliminate preventable motor vehicle collision (MVC)-related injuries through correct and consistent use of child passenger restraints. This study sought to determine emergency physician awareness of and referral patterns to child passenger safety resources and to compare awareness and referrals by practice setting. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional mailed survey of a national random sample of 1200 emergency physicians drawn from the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile. RESULTS: Responses were returned by 638 (64%) of 1000 of physicians with a valid mailing address. Fifty-two percent reported working in an emergency department (ED) within a pediatric trauma center, 23% in an adult trauma center, and 25% in a nontrauma center. Police or fire department car seat installation programs were most frequently available (65% pediatric, 56% adult, 48% nontrauma center), and free/reduced-price booster seat programs least frequently available (46% pediatric, 30% adult, 23% nontrauma center) (P < 0.001). Half of pediatric trauma center physicians would always recommend replacement of a 3-year-old's car seat following a roll-over MVC compared with one third of adult and nontrauma center physicians (P < 0.001). There were no significant differences by practice setting for distribution of discharge instructions containing child passenger safety information or referrals to available resources. CONCLUSIONS: Availability of child passenger safety resources for children discharged from EDs following an MVC varies by practice setting. Pediatric injury prevention outreach to general EDs is needed to increase the number of children who are benefiting from existing community child passenger resources.

Language: en