PURPOSE: The author's trauma center implemented Mobile Trauma Units (MTU), which are ground transportation automobiles constructed with advanced medical equipment, in an attempt to improve the survival rate of severe trauma patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of MTU as a means of inter-hospital transfer of patients in urban environments. METHODS: Patients with an injury severity score (ISS) of 16 or more were enrolled in this study. The participants must also be patients who were transferred with the MTU in the 18 months between January 2017 and June 2018. To assess the survival probability, the revised trauma score (RTS), trauma and injury severity score (TRISS), and w-score were used as the outcome indices. RESULTS: Forty-four (86.3%) of the severe trauma patients with an ISS of 16 or more were male and 7 (13.7%) were female. The number of patients from the territory were 32 (62.7%), and patients from the others were 19 (37.3%). All the patients received their injury from blunt force trauma. The average time of from the scene of the accident to the trauma center was 176 minutes. In 13 deaths, 10 (76.9%) of the RTS values were below 4 points. Among the 51 patients, TRISS was more than 0.5 in 32 patients (62.7%). The w-score was 13.25 and the actual survival rate of a patient was 74.50%. CONCLUSION: Ground transportation automobiles that use MTU for severe trauma patients in urban areas are more economically beneficial and more efficient. The survival rate while using MTU was also shown to be higher than that of medical helicopter transfers.
Aircraft ; Automobiles ; Emergency Treatment ; Female ; Humans ; Injury Severity Score ; Male ; Survival Rate ; Transportation ; Transportation of Patients ; Trauma Centers ; Wounds and Injuries

OBJECTIVES: As public concern on possible harmful effects of mobile phone in children has been raised, information of epidemiological characteristics of mobile phone use in children and adolescents will be essential for public health policy. METHODS: Using three databases (n=21,693) collected from 2008 to 2011, we examined characteristics of mobile phone ownership and use, and socioeconomic positions (SEP) in Korean children and adolescents. RESULTS: The ownership rate and the amount of mobile phone use were higher in females than males, in higher school grades than lower grades, and at 2011 than 2008. The average age of first mobile phone ownership was shown to decrease from 12.5 years in currently high school students to 8.4 years in currently elementary school students at 2011. More than 90% of children in the 5th grade owned a mobile phone. More children owned a mobile phone in lower SEP communities than in higher SEP. Children with parents educated less than those with parents educated more were more likely to own and use mobile phone. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the epidemiological characteristics of mobile phone use, precautionary measures to prevent unnecessary exposure to mobile phones are needed in children and adolescents.
Adolescent* ; Cellular Phone* ; Child* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Ownership* ; Parents ; Public Health