African American children and teenagers had higher rates of injury-related emergency department visits than did whites or Hispanics during 2009-2010, the National Center for Health Statistics said in a report released May 6.
Rates of such visits for non-Hispanic blacks were higher in all three age groups examined, with statistically significant differences seen between black children (232 visits per 1,000 persons) and Hispanic children (145 per 1,000) aged 0-4 years. The difference between blacks and whites aged 0-4 years (180 per 1,000) did not reach significance, according to the NCHS.
In the other two age groups, 5-12 years and 13-18 years, the visit rates between all three groups were statistically significant. For those aged 5-12 years, rates were 181 per 1,000 black children, 138 per 1,000 whites, and 90 per 1,000 Hispanics. Among 13- to 18-year-olds, ED visit rates for injuries were 241 for black teens, 176 for whites, and 135 for Hispanics, the NCHS said.
The researchers used data from the 2009-2010 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, which involved approximately 480 nonfederal, general, and short-stay hospitals and 35,000 ED visits each year.
