(Press-News.org) ORLANDO, Fla.— Unintentional injuries like falls, drownings and poisonings are the leading cause of death in patients ages 1-4, and a significant portion of these deaths are linked to unintentional ingestions—such as swallowing a drug or poison. New research shows racial and socioeconomic disparities exist in the emergency management of unintentional ingestions in children.
Black patients younger than age 6 with the diagnosis of unintentional ingestion were more likely than white children to have a social work consult, Children Services Bureau referral, and urine drug screen, according to a research abstract, “Disparities in the Emergency Evaluation and Management of Unintentional Ingestions in Preschool Children,” presented during the American Academy of Pediatrics 2024 National Conference & Exhibition at the Orange County Convention Center from Sept. 27-Oct. 1.
The research also found that children from poorer backgrounds (lower childhood opportunity index), those with higher severity of illness and pharmaceutical ingestions resulted in either a social work consultation, a Children Services Bureau referral, or both.
“This study is important in understanding where underlying bias exists in emergency departments and hospital management and where changes can be made to address this problem, thus providing equitable care for all children,” said principal investigator Jennifer Allen, DO, FAAP. “These findings could be useful to healthcare workers in emergency departments to help develop a framework for standardized clinical decision making.”
Researchers examined the records of 4,411 patients, younger than age 6, who had unintentional ingestions between January 2013 and March 2024 identified by the International Classification of Disease in the electronic health record. They found:
Most ingestions were non-pharmaceutical (56%)
Patients with pharmaceutical ingestions had higher odds of a social work consult and a Children Services Bureau referral
Independent of ingestion type, non-white children were more likely to have a social worker consult or Children Services Bureau referral
White children were less likely to be exposed to cannabis
Private insurance was associated with reduced odds of social worker or Children Services Bureau referral.
“This isn’t the only research to find racial disparities in the emergency department,” Dr. Allen said. “Disparity has been identified among different races regarding pain management for fractures and appendicitis in the emergency department.”
Akron Children’s Hospital supported this research.
Study author Dr. Jennifer Allen is scheduled to present this research, which is below, from 2:30 - 2:40 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, during the Section on Emergency Medicine program during the AAP’s National Conference and Exhibition.
Please note: only the abstract is being presented at the meeting. In some cases, the researcher may have more data available to share with media, or may be preparing a longer article for submission to a journal.
# # #
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org. Reporters can access the meeting program and other relevant meeting information through the AAP meeting website at http://www.aapexperience.org/
ABSTRACT
Program Name: 2024 AAP National Conference-Abstracts
Submission Type: Section on Emergency Medicine
Abstract Title: Disparities in the emergency evaluation and management of unintentional ingestions in preschool children
Unintentional injuries consisting of trauma and poisonings are the leading cause of death in patients aged 1-4 years old with a significant portion attributed to ingestions. National Poison Control data in 2021 showed there were 37 incidences of poison exposure per 1000 children under 6 years old (2023). Between 2010-2019, poisoning deaths among minority children increased (West, 2021). Evidence of treatment disparity exists as seen in the decreased use of opioids or analgesia in minority children with long bone fractures or appendicitis in the emergency department (ED) (Goyal, 2015 and 2020). There is a knowledge gap regarding the extent, causes, and impact of disparities in assessing and managing acute ingestions in children. This study aimed to determine whether there is a difference in the evaluation and management of children with unintentional ingestions in a pediatric tertiary care center’s ED.
From January 2013 to March 2024, patients less than 6 years of age were identified by International Classification of Disease (ICD) 9 and 10 codes in the electronic health record (EHR). Independent variables included: race, childhood opportunity index (COI), payor status, severity, age, sex, and substance type. Dependent variables included: urine drug screen (UDS), social work (SW) consult, and child service bureau (CSB) referral. Summary statistics were calculated and described as mean (sd). The relationship between independent and dependent variables was described using odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). The relationship between pharmaceutical ingestion type was described using the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). Significance was defined as p-value < 0.05. Races are defined as White, African American, and Other; due to low numbers in categories comparisons are between all White and Non-White children.
4411 patients had unintentional ingestions and most ingestions were non-pharmaceutical (56%). Patients with pharmaceutical ingestions had higher odds of a social work consult and a CSB referral (OR 8.3, 9.0). Independent of ingestion type, Non-White children were more likely to have a SW consult, CSB referral, and UDS order (ROC 0.78, 0.84, and 0.86). Looking at pharmaceutical ingestions, Non-White children had more cannabis ingestions than White children (Figure 1). Private insurance and ED discharge were associated with reduced odds of SW consults or CSB referral. A lower COI was associated with higher odds of SW consult and CSB referral (Table 1). When adjusted for COI, payor type, and severity, African Americans had higher odds of a SW consult, CSB referral, and UDS order (OR 1.8, 2.8, 2.3).
This study revealed there are racial disparities in the management of unintentional ingestions within the ED setting. The next step would be to discuss findings with ED professionals and develop a framework for standardized clinical decision making.
END
Racial disparities exist in emergency department treatment of children with unintentional ingestions
Research found that Black children seeking emergency treatment for an unintentional ingestion more likely than white children to be referred for social worker and Children Services Bureau interventions
2024-09-27
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Advances in endovascular therapy for stroke patients
2024-09-26
(Boston)—Stroke related to large vessel occlusion (LVO) is a leading cause of disability and death worldwide. Endovascular therapy (minimally invasive procedures like catheterization done inside the blood vessels) has transformed the management of these patients. In 2015, several randomized trials showed the benefit of endovascular therapy compared with medical management in reducing disability in some patients, most of whom had small core infarction and presented to an emergency department within six hours of symptom onset. Evidence for the treatment benefit has also been extended to patients presenting within 24 hours of symptom onset, along with patients with large ...
The Lancet Public Health: MMR vaccine remains the best protection against measles - modelling study in England suggests level of protection decreases slightly over time
2024-09-26
The Lancet Public Health: MMR vaccine remains the best protection against measles - modelling study in England suggests level of protection decreases slightly over time
The MMR vaccine remains highly protective against measles for life, protecting over 95% of vaccinated individuals from measles.
Most measles cases in England are in unvaccinated children and young people, but the proportion of measles cases in people who received two doses of the MMR vaccine has increased since 2010, especially among young adults.
New ...
Babies born after fertility treatment have higher risk of heart defects
2024-09-26
The risk of being born with a major heart defect is 36% higher in babies who were conceived after assisted reproductive technology, such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF), according to results of a very large study published in the European Heart Journal [1] today (Friday).
Researchers say the finding is important since congenital heart defects are the most common form of birth defects, and some of them are associated with life threatening complications.
The study also shows that the increase ...
New research confirms link between perceived stress and psoriasis relapse
2024-09-26
(Friday, 27 September 2024, Amsterdam, Netherlands) Innovative research has provided compelling evidence that perceived stress can directly trigger the relapse of psoriatic skin lesions.1 The study, presented today at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress 2024, is the first to scientifically validate this connection in vivo.
Psoriasis, a chronic skin condition affecting over 6 million people in Europe, is characterised by rapid skin cell production, leading to scaling and inflammation.2, 3 While it has long ...
Call to action: A blueprint for change in acute and critical care nursing
2024-09-26
PHILADELPHIA (September 26, 2024) – A groundbreaking article published in the latest issue of Nursing Outlook proposes a significant shift in how nursing care is measured within acute and critical care settings. This "Blueprint for Action" seeks to revolutionize current methods by recognizing the full scope of a nurse's work and its profound impact on patient outcomes.
"The current measurement systems fail to capture the essence of what nurses truly do," explains lead-author ...
Who transports what here?
2024-09-26
Transport proteins are responsible for the ongoing movement of substrates into and out of a biological cell. However, it is difficult to determine which substrates a specific protein can transport. Bioinformaticians at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) have developed a model – called SPOT – which can predict this with a high degree of accuracy using artificial intelligence (AI). They now present their approach, which can be used with arbitrary transport proteins, in the scientific journal PLOS Biology.
Substrates in biological cells need to be continuously transported inwards and outwards across the cell membrane to ensure the survival of the cells and ...
Fitness loss through spontaneous mutations will not impact viability of human populations in the near future
2024-09-26
Spontaneous mutations tend to reduce fitness in populations of living organisms, but this erosion of fitness is countered by natural selection. This study uses the first mutation accumulation experiment in a mammal to show that even in the absence of natural selection, the rate of fitness loss should not be of concern, which is reassuring for humans.
#####
In your coverage, please use this URL to provide access to the freely available paper in PLOS Biology: http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3002795
Article Title: An estimate of fitness ...
Prize recognizes discovery of how cell population protects our airways – and keeps them clear
2024-09-26
For uncovering how a cell population helps ensure food, liquid and acid reflux are kept out of our airway – and instead sent to our GI tract – Laura Seeholzer is the winner of the 2024 Eppendorf & Science Prize for Neurobiology. Her findings, detailed in April in Science, have motivated her to study what’s happening with these cells in diseases where this critical protective reflex is compromised.
“These findings are crucial for understanding potentially life-saving reflexes that are activated in the airway, ...
Team led by UMass Amherst debunks research showing Facebook’s news-feed algorithm curbs election misinformation
2024-09-26
AMHERST, Mass. – An interdisciplinary team of researchers led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently published work in the prestigious journal Science calling into question the conclusions of a widely reported study — published in Science in 2023 and funded by Meta — finding the social platform’s algorithms successfully filtered out untrustworthy news surrounding the 2020 election and were not major drivers of misinformation.
The UMass Amherst-led team’s work shows that the Meta-funded research was conducted during a short ...
Science publishes eLetter on 2023 study by Guess et al., as well as response by Guess et al.
2024-09-26
In 2023, Science published the study, “How do social media feed algorithms affect attitudes and behavior in an election campaign?” by Andrew Guess et al. Now, Chhandak Bagchi and colleagues – in an eLetter that will appear on the 2023 study – state that the study’s “reporting and conclusions did not account for a series of temporary emergency changes to Facebook’s news feed algorithm in the wake of the 2020 U.S. presidential election that were designed to diminish the spread of voter-fraud misinformation. This issue may have led readers to misinterpret ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Hot dragonfly summer: species with darker wings have evolved to withstand heat and attract partners
Development of a new electrolyte synthesis method for next-generation fuel cells: a step closer to green hydrogen production
Rage clicks: Study shows how political outrage fuels social media engagement
E-waste experts urge public: Stop trashing electronic products with ordinary garbage (International E-Waste Day)
Hospitals that are understaffed for infection prevention and control have higher rates of infection, study says
Study reveals 85% of women prefer choice between self-sampling and traditional cervical screening
Global advances and future trends in cervical cancer research from 2013 to 2022
Inspired by Spider-Man, a lab recreates web-slinging technology
Applied Microbiology International’s 2024 Honorary Fellowship goes to Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu
Pitt scientists validate new lab test platform for blood biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease
No bolts about it: New technology improves structural strength
Medical professionals must lead the fight against climate misinformation
Should doctors be suspended for unlawful climate activism?
Extreme rainfall linked to heightened risk of death
New research highlights the overlooked dangers of subtle and covert abuse in intimate relationships
Snowflake dance analysis could improve rain forecasts
ASPB welcomes Hong Ma as Society President
Can advanced AI can solve visual puzzles and perform abstract reasoning?
West Health-Gallup poll: Healthcare may be sleeper issue in U.S. presidential campaign
UC Irvine scientists track and analyze lofted embers that cause spot fires
Uncovering pandemic inequities
Microbiome researcher awarded NIH Transformative Research Award to pursue personalized treatment for gut diseases
Teresa Bowman, Ph.D., named Chair of Developmental & Molecular Biology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Legal system fails to protect people from malicious copyright cases at the cost of sexual privacy, study warns
Ancient climate analysis reveals unknown global processes
Gene therapy shows long-term benefit for patients with a rare pediatric brain disease
Do people with MS have an increased risk of cancer?
New research on octopus-inspired technology successfully maneuvers underwater objects
Newly discovered Late Cretaceous birds may have carried heavy prey like extant raptors
Bat species richness in San Diego, C.A. decreases as artificial lights, urbanization, and unconserved land increase, with Townsend's big-eared bat especially affected
[Press-News.org] Racial disparities exist in emergency department treatment of children with unintentional ingestionsResearch found that Black children seeking emergency treatment for an unintentional ingestion more likely than white children to be referred for social worker and Children Services Bureau interventions