Biomedical subjects

J W Pritchett

Publications and source records attributed to J W Pritchett.

58 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

A claims-made study of knee injuries due to football in high school athletes.

This article is an analysis of the insurance claims for injuries sustained in high school football for the 1965, 1975-1977, and 1983-1985 football seasons. Thirteen percent of all injuries each season involved the knee. In 1965, 12% of patients were treated operatively, and, in 1985, 33% underwent surgery. Follow-up questionnaires completed by 446 (68%) of the players injured during 1975, 1976, and 1977, after a mean of 10 years, showed that 25% of players with ligament injuries, 30% with internal derangement of the knee, and 17% with patellar injuries claim disability for some athletic pursuits.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

High cost of high school football injuries.

This study examines year-to-year (1965, 1976 to 1977) and state-to-state (six western United States) cost variations in relation to injury site, severity, and repetition of high school football injuries. Data were collected from the files of the largest single insurer of secondary school students in these states. Analysis was made through a specially programmed Qantel 1300 computer. The average claim cost in 1965 was $34.72 in 1976 was $149.93, and, in 1977, it was $177.95. The average cost was lowest in Utah and highest in California. In the 1976 to 1977 season, 3,501 claims from 15,252 players were reported. Over 25% of the claims filed were from players who had more than come claim per season. Relatively minor injuries (sprains, strains, contusions, and abrasions) accounted for 72.3% of all injuries but only 42.4% of medical costs. Lower extremity injuries accounted for one-third of the injuries and one-half of the costs. Knee injuries alone accounted for 12.7% of all injuries and 31.8% of all medical costs paid by the insurance company. It is proposed that trainers and coaches not only know how to care for minor injuries but also that they are more rigid in their criteria for fitness, agility, stamina, and psychologic factors so that players predisposed to injury and repeated injuries will not contribute to the escalating medical costs of high school football injuries.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Cost of high school soccer injuries.

This study examines the cost of high school soccer injuries. Data was collected from the files of the largest single insurer of secondary school students in six western states. Analysis was made through a specially programmed Qantel 1300 computer (Empire Computer Systems, Seattle, Washington). The average claim cost was $127.29 for injuries in 1976 to 1977, ranging from the lowest in Washington to the highest in California. During this period 436 claims from 10,634 players were reported. Relatively minor injuries (sprains, strains, contusions, and abrasions) accounted for 75.9% of all injuries but only 49.4% of all costs; lower extremity injuries accounted for more than one-half of all injuries and costs. Knee injuries alone represented 11.7% of all injuries--28.2% of all medical costs paid by the insurance companies. Injuries occur only one-fifth as frequently in soccer, compared with football. It is anticipated that medical expenses for soccer players will be less than 16% of expenses incurred by an equal number of football players.

Arizona↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A statistical study of physician care patterns in high school football injuries.

This study examines the specialty background, relative activity, role, and cost of care among physicians treating high school football injuries in six western states. There were 1,000 injuries (in 1,000 players) in the 1980 football season. Among the players, 30.7 and 17.9% were treated solely by general practitioners and emergency room physicians, respectively. Orthopedic surgeons exclusively managed 17.1% of players, and 6.8% were seen initially by the emergency room physician and referred to an orthopedic surgeon. Osteopaths solely treated 6.4% of players. Chiropractic was the exclusive care for 6.4%. Four and nine-tenths per cent of players were seen initially by general practitioners and referred to an orthopedic surgeon. Emergency room physicians referred 3% of their injured high school football players to general practitioners. The remaining 6.8% of players were cared for by dentists, pediatricians, general surgeons, naturopaths, neurosurgeons, urologists, otolaryngologists, and ophthalmologists. General practitioners referred 14% of their patients, and emergency room physicians referred 73.6% of their patients. The most common referral was to an orthopedic surgeon. Two hundred ninety-eight players ultimately received care from an orthopedist, including 82% of all patients with fractures. For patients with the same diagnosis, costs for care by orthopedic surgeons were 54% higher than the fees charged by a general practitioner.

Athletic Injuries↗