INJURIES AND THE RISK OF DISABILITY IN TEENAGERS AND YOUNG-ADULTS

Objective-To examine the risk of disability from unintentional injury in teenagers and young adults. Methods-Analyses of data from the Natio nal Child Development Study, a follow up study of 98% of all children born in England, Scotland, and Wales in one week in March, 1958. In 19 81, 12 537 study participants, 76% of the original cohort, were asked about unintentional injuries since age 16 years requiring hospital tre atment, and whether these injuries resulted in permanent disability. R esults-62% of men and 26% of women reported at least one accident sinc e age 16 resulting in injury that required hospital treatment. Of thes e accidents, 3.2% caused permanent disability. The risk of disability increased with accident frequency. Injuries requiring hospital admissi on carried the highest risk of disability (9.7%). However, 54% of perm anent disability reported by men and 74% reported by women resulted fr om injuries treated as outpatients. Road traffic accidents caused 42% of admissions and 31% of disability. Fractures constituted 21% of all injuries but were responsible for 32% of permanent disabilities. Of th e permanent disabilities resulting from work related accidents, 82% in volved the hand. Of the permanent disabilities resulting from accident s in the home, 32% involved the hand. Conclusions-The targeting of pre vention strategies towards the major causes of injury mortality may ha ve a smaller impact on population levels of injury related disability. Non-life threatening injuries, in particular injuries to the hand and limb fractures, resulting from accidents in the workplace, the home, and during sports, make a significant contribution to the prevalence o f permanent injury related disability in young adults.