Epidemiology and Characteristics of Women With Facial Fractures Seeking Emergency Care in the United States: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Study Design Facial bone fractures in women are less common than in men in the United States. However, little is known about the epidemiology of women who sustain facial fractures. Objective Our aim is to describe the patient population of women seeking emergency care for facial fractures in the United States and they type and cost of care received in this setting. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study using the 2019 National Emergency Department Sample. The inclusion criterion was diagnosis of facial fracture. The primary outcome was patient characteristics. The secondary outcomes are emergency department (ED) characteristics, discharge disposition, total visit charges, and most common cause. Diagnoses and procedures were identified using ICD10-CM codes. Outcomes were compared to men. Results Thirty-seven percent of ED facial fractures were encountered in women. Both women and men were most likely adult, Caucasian, from the lowest median income quartile, sustained nasal bone fractures, and presented to a southern, metropolitan, private nonprofit, non-trauma ED. Conclusions Women were older, more likely insured by Medicare and less likely by private insurance, discharged home, and had lower ED charges than their male counterparts. However, the financial burden of emergency care for facial fractures among women was $1.6 billion.