| Summary: | 碩士 === 國防醫學院 === 公共衛生學研究所 === 99 === To examine the factors associated with hospitalized medical care utilization(hospitalized medical expenditure, length of hospital stay, surgery) and fatalities of injured children aged 0-19 in Taiwan. Survey data of those who had given consent linked to National Health Insurance (NHI) database from 1997 to 2008 was used.
In terms of medical care utilization, during the 12-year period from 1997 to 2008, injuries accounted for 686,171 cases among children aged 0–19 caused by injuries. For patient characteristics, boys had more medical expenditure and required the most surgery, aged 0-4 had more medical expenditure, low income families had more length of hospital and required the most surgery, patients with catastrophic illness registry had more medical expenditure. For environmental characteristics, the regional hospitals had more medical expenditure while the town-based degree of urbanization had more medical expenditure, summer had more medical expenditure and required the most surgery. For injury characteristics, burns had more medical expenditure and required the most surgery, drowning had more medical expenditure, multiple injuries had more medical expenditure and required the most surgery.
In terms of fatalities, during the 12-year period from 1997 to 2008, injuries accounted for 23,506 deaths among children aged 0–19. The factors associated with hospital mortality caused by injuries were sex, age, low income families, catastrophic illness card, hospital level, urbanization level, season, injury type, injury causes and multiple injuries.
Inpatients among children aged 0–19 caused by injuries result significant costs in medical resources. Authorities should develop prevention strategies to reduce childhood injuries. In order to reduce injury among children aged 0–19 medical care utilization and mortality rates effectively, we should extensive education, legislation and standards for them to save children's lives and reduce medical expenditure.
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