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Predictors of Future Fight-Related Injury Among Adolescents.
- Source :
-
Pediatrics . Mar2004, Vol. 113 Issue 3, p530-536. 7p. 3 Charts. - Publication Year :
- 2004
-
Abstract
- Objective. Nonfatal fight-related injuries among youths result in lost capacity and high costs of medical care and rehabilitation and constitute a major public health problem. This study identifies factors that predict the occurrence of a fight-related injury that requires medical attention among boys and girls. Methods. We analyzed data from 14,787 adolescents who completing 2 interviews, approximately 1 year apart, in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, a nationally representative, school-based sample of youths. We identified time 1 factors at the community, family, and individual levels that predicted any self-reported fight-related injury that required medical treatment at time 2. Results. Factors that predict future injury among both boys and girls in multivariate models were violence-related factors: witnessing or being a victim of violence (odds ratio [OR]: 3.69; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.81-7.49 for boys; OR: 5.13; 95% CI: 1.25-21.09 for girls), history of a violence-related injury (OR: 2.30; 95% CI: 1.60- 3.29 for boys; OR: 3.18; 95% CI: 1.87-5.41 for girls), and physical fighting (OR: 2.02; 95% CI: 1.44-2.84 for boys; OR: 5.15; 95% CI: 3.18-8.34 for girls). Among boys, illicit drug use was also an independent predictor of future injury (OR: 1.72; 95% CI: 1.24-2.37), whereas excellent perceived general health (OR: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.25-0.93) and a high grade point average (OR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.29-0.95) were significant protective factors against fight-related injury. Girls who reported a high level of depressive symptoms were much more likely to report fight-related injury than nondepressed girls (OR: 8.98; 95% CI: 2.43-33.25). Conclusions. Factors related to violence, substance use, school achievement, and physical and mental health predicted a future fight-related injury that required medical treatment. The results could assist health and social service providers, educators, and others in identifying youths who are at high... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00314005
- Volume :
- 113
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Pediatrics
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 12391911
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.113.3.530