Accuracy of ICD-10-CM coding for physical child abuse in a paediatric level I trauma centre
Holly Hughes Garza, Karen Piper, Amanda N. Barczyk, Adriana Pérez, Karla A. Lawson
Abstract
This retrospective study examined the accuracy of the International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) coding for physical child abuse among patients less than 18 years of age who were evaluated due to concern for physical abuse by a multidisciplinary child protection team (MCPT) during 2016-2017 (N=312) in a paediatric level I trauma centre. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values and diagnostic OR for ICD-10-CM coding were calculated and stratified by admission status, using as a reference standard the abuse determination of the MCPT recorded in a hospital registry. Among inpatients, child physical abuse coding sensitivity was 55.6% (95% CI 41.4% to 69.1%) and specificity was 78.6% (95% CI 59.0% to 91.7%), with diagnostic OR of 4.58 (95% CI 1.64 to 12.70). Among outpatients, sensitivity was 22.2% (95% CI 15.5% to 30.2%) and specificity was 86.3% (95% CI 77.7% to 92.5%), with diagnostic OR of 1.80 (95% CI 0.89 to 3.64). Use of ICD-10-CM coded data sets alone for surveillance may significantly underestimate the occurrence of physical child abuse.