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Abstract
BackgroundUnintentional injuries are a major contributor to morbidity and mortality in adolescents. Mobile phone use in certain circumstances (e.g., driving, cycling, walking) and mental health conditions are risk factors for unintentional injury. However, research on the interactions between problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) and psychopathological symptoms in unintentional injuries is limited. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of unintentional injuries (road traffic injuries, pedestrian collisions, and falls) and examined interactions of PMPU and psychopathological symptoms with unintentional injuries in a school-based sample of Chinese adolescents.MethodsA total of 14,221 students (6915 middle school students and 7306 high school students) were randomly selected from 32 schools in four cities in China in 2012. The sample comprised 6712 boys and 7509 girls with a mean age of 15.12 years (standard deviation 1.89 years). PMPU, psychopathological symptoms, and unintentional injuries were measured with validated instruments. Chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression were used to analyze the rates of unintentional injuries, the relationship with PMPU and psychopathological symptoms, and the interactions of PMPU and psychopathological symptoms with unintentional injuries.ResultsThe prevalence of road traffic injuries, pedestrian collisions, and falls were 4.9, 16.2, and 10.1 %, respectively. The rates of unintentional injuries were higher among students with PMPU and psychopathological symptoms. Interaction analysis indicated that psychopathological symptoms were associated with a greater increase in the likelihood of unintentional injuries for adolescents with PMPU than for those without PMPU.ConclusionsThe findings indicate that unintentional injuries in adolescents are an important public health issue in China that merit further research. Intervention programs must consider the adolescents’ behavioral and psychological health.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-016-2776-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Unintentional injuries are a major contributor to morbidity and mortality in adolescents
There were no sex-based differences in problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) for high schools, but in middle schools, PMPU was more common in girls (27.4 % of girls vs. 24.9 % of boys, P < 0.05)
There were significant differences in PMPU and psychopathological symptoms between different levels of parental expectations or self-reported academic performance; the rates of PMPU and psychopathological symptoms were highest in participants with parents with low expectations or low self-reported academic performance
Summary
Unintentional injuries are a major contributor to morbidity and mortality in adolescents. Mobile phone use in certain circumstances (e.g., driving, cycling, walking) and mental health conditions are risk factors for unintentional injury. Research on the interactions between problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) and psychopathological symptoms in unintentional injuries is limited. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of unintentional injuries (road traffic injuries, pedestrian collisions, and falls) and examined interactions of PMPU and psychopathological symptoms with unintentional injuries in a school-based sample of Chinese adolescents. Problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) has rapidly increased as a risk behavior worldwide. A study in the United Kingdom found the prevalence of PMPU among 1026 students was 10 %, with the typical problematic users being adolescents aged 11–14 years [5]
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