Analysis of causes and associated risk factors for unintentional injuries among 2 672 hospitalized children

Abstract

Objective To explore the common causes and associated risk factors for unintentional injuries among inpatient children from Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College during 2007～2008.Methods This retrospective study involved 2 672 children of 0～18 years of age treated for unintentional injuries in Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical Collge from 2007 to 2008.Statistical evluation included x2 analysis and computation of relative risk(RR)with a 95％ confidence interval(CI).Results The top five types of unintentional injury were falls from one level to another(e.g.from playground equipment,chair,bed,stationary vehicle,and so on.)or falls on same level(e.g.from slipping,tripping,stumbling,collision,and so on)(30.84％),traffic accident(25.15％),falls from height(e.g.from balcony,bridge,building,window,and so on)(11.56％),foreign body ingestion/inhalations(6.89％),open wounds including cut,lacerarion and puncture wound(6.51％).The types of unintentional injury were not uniform among different age groups(x2 =602.12,P ＜0.01).Boys had a higher incidence of injury than did girls with a ratio of 2.34∶ 1.Unintentional injury rates varied considerably by age(x2 =583.90,P ＜0.01).The most prevalent age group was 1～4 years old.The most common body part injuried was the extremity region(54.00％).20.40％ of cases had injuried to the neck and head,15.27％ had thorax and abdomen injuries,3.78％ had vertebral column injuries and 1.87％ had pelvis injuries.Significant differences existed in injuried body site among different age children(x2 =315.21,P ＜0.01).The discharge departments were traumatic department(42.07％),hand surgery and spinal department(22.16％),department of otorhinolaryngology(6.89％),orthopaedic department(6.32％),neurosurgical department(5.84％),and the other discharge departments included pediatric surgical department,chest surgery department,stomatology department,ophthalmic department,pediatric intensive care unit and pediatric internal department.The number and rate of unintentional injury were the highest in summer(July-September),accounting for 28.63％.The estimated days and cost of unintentional injuries were 1 1.72 d and 9 617.96 yuan RMB each child,respectively.Conclusion Injury prevention efforts should include consideration of the substantial differences in the leading causes of unintentional injuries,in regard to sex,age and type of injury.Unintentional injuries lead to a threat to health and well-being and waste a majory source of medical spending in China for children and youth 0 to 18 years age.Making efforts to prevent child injury and establishing a complete emergency medical system are very important. Key words: Children; Trauma and injury; Injury prevention