(A249) Trends in the Acuity Consumer Products Caused Head and Neck Injuries in the Emergency Department

Introduction: Challenges in accessing primary care have driven increased emergency department (ED) utilization, necessitating an understanding of how EDs are used to inform policy and practice. We analyzed trends in the acuity of ED visits due to head and neck injuries from over 15000 types of consumer products under the jurisdiction of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission between 2014 - 2023.

Methods: This retrospective study utilized data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), which collects data from the EDs of approximately 100 hospitals in the United States. We selected for head and neck injuries, specifically those to the head, face, eyeball, mouth, neck, and ear. Our main outcome was patient disposition after ED admission, with secondary outcomes including demographics, injured body parts, injury types, and consumer products.

Results: The percentage of patients admitted or transferred for treatment increased from 7.5% in 2014 to 10.7% in 2023 while the percentage of patients released with or without treatment after admission to the ED decreased from 90.7% in 2014 to 85.7% in 2023. Patients leaving against medical advice (AMA) or without being seen increased from 1.1% in 2014 to 2.5% in 2023.

Conclusions: Over the past ten years, the utilization of EDs for head and neck injuries has evolved, with a greater emphasis on higher acuity cases requiring admission or transfer for treatment. Further efforts are needed to understand the specific factors that contributed to this trend, but mistrust of physicians or increasing healthcare costs may have contributed to these changes. More patients are willing to leave AMA or without being seen, and hospital and healthcare stakeholders should consider the potential repercussions of this change.