Injury severity in pediatric all-terrain vehicle-related trauma in Nova Scotia

Background/Purpose In 2004–2005, legislation restricting all-terrain vehicle (ATV) use by children and an extensive social marketing campaign intended to reduce pediatric ATV-related morbidity. The frequency, nature, and severity of pediatric ATV-associated trauma were compared before and after such interventions. Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed for all pediatric ATV-related injuries that presented to the provincial level 1 pediatric trauma center from 1998 to 2014. National databases were queried for ATV-related injury hospitalizations (n = 258), trauma center emergency department visits (n = 342), and admissions (n = 136) in Nova Scotia from 2002 to 2014. Admissions between 1998 and 2003 (n = 68) and 2006–2014 (n = 60) were compared using chi square analysis for age and gender distribution, length of stay, critical care admission, helmet use, mechanism, and severity of injury. Results Admissions, trauma center emergency room visits and admissions initially decreased following legislative and social marketing interventions and subsequently gradually increased. Interventions resulted in no significant difference in age or gender distribution, length of hospital stay, critical care admission, helmet use, and mechanism of injury. There was a significantly higher proportion of severe injuries post interventions. Conclusions Legislation and social marketing interventions had a short-term decrease on the frequency of ATV-related injuries and no sustained effect on the frequency, nature, and severity of ATV-related injuries. Level of evidence Level IV