Emergency department visits coded for swimming pool diving injuries

Despite legislative efforts to enhance safety in public swimming pools, diving injuries are still common. This study investigated the characteristics of emergency departments (EDs) visits for diving accidents. This study utilized 2006-2014 data from the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample and examined visits for accidents due to diving or jumping into water (swimming pool). Data were stratified by age categories. Over 83,000 ED visits were found and the majority of visits were by males. Significantly more patients were in the 15-24 age category. The majority of patients were discharged and were covered by private insurance. Total charges for the six-year period approached $620 million. Spinal cord injuries were more common in those over age 25, whereas intracranial injuries occurred more frequently in younger patients. This study provides a profile of patients presenting to US EDs for diving-related injuries.