Sociodemographic determinants of non-accidental traumatic injuries in children

Background: Traumatic injuries account for 18% of child abuse cases and 1680 children die from abuse annually. We set out to determine the impact of sociodemographic characteristics on resource utilization and outcomes in nonaccidental trauma (NAT). Methods: We used the Kid's Inpatient Database to identify children with two main subgroups of child abuse diagnoses: NAT and other forms of child abuse. Income was represented by quartiles. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and regression analyses. Results: We identified 5617 children requiring hospital admission due to NAT. Medicaid insurance payer status was associated with higher rates of traumatic injuries than private insurance. Black race, male sex, and high-income-quartile were independent factors associated with increased cost. We identified an increased risk of mortality in younger children and those with self-pay/uninsured status. Conclusion: NAT represents a prevalent cause of childhood mortality. This study identifies sociodemographic factors associated with increased occurrence, higher resource utilization, and increased mortality in NAT.