Roxana Fu1, Swarupa Kancherla2, Andrew W Eller2, Jenny Y Yu2. 1. a Oculofacial Plastic and Orbital Surgery , Indiana University , Indianapolis , IN , USA. 2. b Department of Ophthalmology , University of Pittsburgh Medical Center , Pittsburgh , PA , USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To examine the characteristics and outcomes of open globe injuries sustained by the urban population compared to the rural population. METHODS: This is a retrospective chart review of 429 patients presenting to University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Presbyterian Hospital with traumatic open globes from July 2005 to July 2013. RESULTS: Rural patients had a longer time which elapsed from injury to presentation (P = 0.023, average 12.04 hours vs 7.53 hours). There was a higher incidence of patient transfer prior to arrival to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital (P = 0.018), patient follow-up elsewhere (P = 0.049), and patients sustaining intraocular foreign bodies (IOFBs) (P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Health care access is a well-known problem in rural areas and using rural-urban commuting area (RUCA) codes can help identify a population for risk factors or potential disparities in care. Rural patients sustained a higher rate of IOFBs; this should heighten the clinicians' suspicion during the evaluation of an open globe in other rural populations.
PURPOSE: To examine the characteristics and outcomes of open globe injuries sustained by the urban population compared to the rural population. METHODS: This is a retrospective chart review of 429 patients presenting to University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Presbyterian Hospital with traumatic open globes from July 2005 to July 2013. RESULTS: Rural patients had a longer time which elapsed from injury to presentation (P = 0.023, average 12.04 hours vs 7.53 hours). There was a higher incidence of patient transfer prior to arrival to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital (P = 0.018), patient follow-up elsewhere (P = 0.049), and patients sustaining intraocular foreign bodies (IOFBs) (P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Health care access is a well-known problem in rural areas and using rural-urban commuting area (RUCA) codes can help identify a population for risk factors or potential disparities in care. Rural patients sustained a higher rate of IOFBs; this should heighten the clinicians' suspicion during the evaluation of an open globe in other rural populations.
Entities:
Keywords:
Ocular trauma; open globe; rural health; rural-urban commuting area (RUCA); urban health