MOTORCYCLE TRAUMA IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS - ANALYSIS OF THE LINOIS-DEPARTMENT-OF-PUBLIC-HEALTH-TRAUMA-REGISTRY

Study objective: To assess the current morbidity and mortality of moto rcycle trauma in the state of Illinois and, specifically, to assess th e incidence and cost of head injury to motorcycle crash patients accor ding to their helmet use. Design: Retrospective, cross-sectional exami nation of the Illinois Department of Public Health Trauma Registry, fo r which data are available from July 1, 1991, through December 31, 199 2. Data are collected from ail hospitals designated as Level I or leve l II trauma centers in Illinois. Participants: All patients involved i n motorcycle crashes and subsequently taken to a Level I or Level II t rauma center in Illinois and entered into the trauma registry during t he period studied. Results: Head injury, spinal injury, helmet use, de mographic data, hospital charges, days in ICU, and source of payment w ere selected as outcome measures. During the 18-month study period, 1, 231 motorcycle trauma patients were entered into the trauma registry. Eighteen percent were helmeted and 56.0% were nonhelmeted. In 26.0% th e helmet status at the time of the crash was unknown. Thirty percent o f the helmeted patients sustained head injury and 4% sustained spinal or vertebral injury, compared with 51% and 8%, respectively, for nonhe lmeted patients. Nonhelmeted patients were significantly more likely t o sustain severe (Abbreviated Injury Score [AIS], 3 or more) or critic al (AIS, 5 or more) head injury. Patients with these serious head inju ries incurred almost three times the hospital charges and used a dispr oportionately larger share of ICU days than those with mild or no head injuries. There was a trend toward greater use of public funds or sel f-pay status (no insurance) for payment of hospital charges in nonhelm eted patients. Conclusion: Motorcycle helmet nonuse was associated wit h an increased incidence of serious head injury. Motorcycle trauma pat ients with severe or critical head injuries used a significantly great er proportion of ICU days and hospital charges than those with mild or no head injuries.