Skateboarding Head Injuries: An Analysis of Canadian Pediatric Data from 1993 thru 2017

摘要

Skateboarding is fairly well known Canadian society, but the risk of head injury to pediatric skateboarders in Canada has not been well documented and is important for developing head injury prevention strategies. Between 1993 and 2018, a total of 26,766 skateboard related pediatric (0-18 yrs) hospital Emergency Department (ED) visits were obtained from the CHIRPP and eCHIRPP databases, with males accounting for 89% and females accounting for 11% of these visits. Approximately 3.5% of the attending pediatric males and 5.2% of attending pediatric females sustained some form of head injury (minor, concussion, and intracranial). Pediatric male skateboarder helmet use between 1993 and 2018 averaged 27.3% and female helmet use averaged 22.2%, while over the last 10 years (2008 thru November 2017) helmet use average 26.4% for pediatric female and 27.3% for pediatric males. Current incidence of any type of head injury in ED visits is approximately 7% (2017). Non-helmeted pediatric male skateboarders had a 1.1x odds/risk as that of helmeted skateboarders of sustaining a concussion and 1.6x odds/risk for any type of head injury. Non-helmeted female skateboarders had a 1.3x odds/risks as that of helmeted skateboarders of sustaining a concussion and a 1.8x odds/risk for sustaining any type of head injury. Female skateboarders are 2.0x more likely than males of sustaining a concussion on home properties, while males are 1.8x more likely than females of sustaining a concussion at a skatepark. Female skateboarders are 8.2x more likely than males of sustaining an intracranial injury on home properties and 7.9x more likely than males of sustaining an intracranial injury on commercial properties, while males are 1.9x more likely than females of sustaining an intracranial injury on a roadway, and 1.6x more likely than females of sustaining an intracranial injury on paths and sidewalks. The relative benefits of helmet use and the risks associated with skateboarding on roadways should be widely disseminated in order to reduce head injuries amongst skateboarders.