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FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The characteristics of an injury scene are associated with injury mortality, with increased odds of death linked to increased distance to the nearest trauma center, according to a study published online Feb. 7 in JAMA Surgery<\/i>.<\/p>\n
Molly P. Jarman, Ph.D., from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and colleagues examined the correlation between injury scene characteristics and injury mortality in a cross-sectional study. Data from trauma center and emergency medical services were geocoded by injury incident locations and linked with injury scene characteristics.<\/p>\n
The researchers found that there was an 8 percent increase in the odds of death for every five-mile increase in distance to the nearest trauma center (odds ratio, 1.08). Compared with privately owned level 1 and 2 trauma centers, there was an increase in the odds of death when the nearest trauma center was level 3 or publicly owned (odds ratios, 1.5 and 1.81, respectively). At the level of ZIP code tabulation area, the odds of death increased with every five-year increase in median age, and decreased when the per capita income was above $25,000 (odds ratios, 1.16 and 0.73, respectively).<\/p>\n
“Odds of death are highest for patients injured in communities with higher median age or lower per capita income and at locations farthest from level 1 or 2 trauma centers,” the authors write.<\/p>\n
One author disclosed financial ties to the publishing industry for books related to trauma and critical care.<\/p>\n