1. Features and Risk Factors of Nonfatal Injury among the Rural Children: A Survey of Seven Schools in a Mountain Area in Southwest China.
- Author
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Shi, Xiu-Quan, Qi, Yong-Hong, Shi, Dan, Yan, Cheng, Shi, Junxin, Cao, Bo-Ling, Liu, Dan, Luo, Li-Rong, and Wang, Hai-Yan
- Subjects
PEDIATRIC epidemiology ,RURAL children ,CHILDREN'S health ,MOUNTAINS ,PREVENTIVE medicine - Abstract
Objective: We aimed to investigate the patterns and risk factors of nonfatal injuries among rural mountain-area children in southwest China. Methods: A stratified sampling method was used to recruit rural children aged 8 to 17 years (mainly 9–14 years) from 7 schools. Self-reported injuries during the past 12 months and relevant concerns were collected from June to December 2012 by using a structured questionnaire in a class interview. Results: The mean age of the 2,854 children was 12.2±1.5 years. The probability of annual injury was 16.7% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 15.3–18.1%), with slightly higher injury risk for boys than girls (17.7% vs. 16.0%; P>0.05). The top 3 causes of injuries were falls (37.3%), animal-related incidents (20.6%), and burns (14.9%). The main injury risk factors included being involved in a violent episode (odds ratio [OR] 1.34, 95% CI 1.08–1.66, P = 0.007), maltreatment by parents or guardians (1.42, 1.17–1.72, P<0.001), and being from a single-child family (1.30, 1.10–1.66, P = 0.039). Older age was a protective factor (0.81, 0.76–0.87, P<0.001). Conclusions: The incidence of nonfatal injury among rural children was high, and falls were the leading cause. Younger children and boys from poor-care and poor-living environments were at increased risk of injury, which requires urgent attention. Injury prevention programs targeting these issues are needed in this mountain area and similar rural regions of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2014
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