THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF NONFATAL INJURIES AMONG US CHILDREN AND YOUTH

Objects. National data are not routinely available regarding the incid ence of and associated risk factors for nonfatal injuries in children and youth. The Child Health Supplement to the 1988 National Health int erview Survey provided an opportunity to determine accurate national e stimates of childhood injury morbidity by demographic factors, locatio n, external cause, nature of injury, and other factors. Methods. The c losest adult for 17110 sampled children was asked whether the child ha d had an injury, accident, or poisoning during the preceding 12 months and about the cause, location, and consequences of the event. An anal ysis for potential underreporting from 12 months of recall provided ad justments of annual rates to those for a 1-month recall period. Result s. On the basis of 2772 reported injuries, the national estimated annu al rate for children 0 to 17 years of age was 27 per 100 children afte r adjustment to 1-month recall. Boys experienced significantly higher rates than girls (risk ratio [RR] = 1.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.37, 1.68), and adolescents experienced the highest overall rate ( 38 per 100 children) and proportion of serious injuries. Conclusions. Approximately one fourth of US children experience a medically attende d injury each year, but the risks vary considerably depending on the c haracteristics of subgroups and the injury cause.