Pesticide poisoning is an important health problem among Chinese farm workers, but there is a paucity of pesticide poisoning data from China. Using the WHO standard case definition of a possible acute pesticide poisoning, we investigated the prevalence and risk factors of acute work-related pesticide poisoning among farmers in Southern China.

Primary objective: To examine the hospitalization costs and discharge outcomes of US children with TBI and to evaluate a severity measure, the predictive mortality likelihood level. Research design: Data from the 2006 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids’ Inpatient Database (KID) were used to report the national estimates and characteristics of TBI-associated hospitalizations among US children ≤20 years of age. The percentage of children with TBI caused by motor vehicle crashes (MVC) and falls was calculated according to the predictive mortality likelihood levels (PMLL), death in hospital and discharge into long-term rehabilitation facilities. Associations with the PMLL, discharge outcomes and average hospital charges were examined. Results: In 2006, there were an estimated 58 900 TBI-associated hospitalizations among US children, accounting for $2.56 billion in hospital charges. MVCs caused 38.9% and falls caused 21.2% of TBI hospitalizations. The PMLL was strongly associated with TBI type, length of hospital stay, hospital charges and discharge disposition. About 4% of children with fall or MVC related TBIs died in hospital and 9% were discharged into long-term facilities. Conclusion: The PMLL may provide a useful tool to assess characteristics and treatment outcomes of hospitalized TBI children, but more research is still needed.

This study uses national data to describe the patterns and aetiologies for childhood falls in a high-income country, the United States. We conducted a retrospective analysis of data for children aged 0–17 years from the 2007 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS). Sample weights provided by NEDS were used to make national estimates. We estimated that in 2007 there were more than 2.3 million paediatric fall-related emergency department (ED) visits at a rate of 3217 visits per 100,000 children. Over 95% of those seen for fall injuries were treated and released. In addition, government sources made payments for just under one-third of these visits. Of those ED visits that result in hospitalisation, we found marked age patterns in bodily location of injury. The impact of fall-related injuries on EDs in the US is substantial within the paediatric population. The use of national level ED data shows age and gender patterns in paediatric fall injury not readily apparent in previous studies. There are patterns in external cause of injury and bodily location of injury that can be used to guide age specific prevention interventions.