Citation

Aitken ME, Bowman SM, Card-Higginson P, Carson JE, Lin TM, Thompson JW, Zhao Y. J. Ark. Med. Soc. 2008; 104(7): 161-164.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Arkansas Medical Society)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

18232263

Abstract

Crash data from 2001-2005 was linked to hospital discharge data to determine the impact of safety restraint use on crashed-related hospital charges and use for 4013 hospitalizations. Safety restraint use, year of hospitalization and age group affected the hospital charges and length of stay after a crash. Mean hospital charges were 44% greater for unrestrained patients ($44,736 versus $30,990); mean length of stay was 23% longer for the unrestrained (9.2 days versus 7.5 days). Lack of safety restraint use was associated with greater use of hospital resources. Prevention efforts should focus on increasing compliance.

Language: en