MEASURING EXPOSURE TO INJURY RISK IN SCHOOLCHILDREN AGED 11-14

Objective-To apply a measure of exposure to injury risk for schoolchil dren aged 11-14 across a population and to examine how risk factors va ry with sex, age, and affluence. Design-Self completion questionnaire survey administered in schools in May 1990. Setting-24 schools in Newc astle upon Tyne. Subjects-5334 pupils aged 11-14, of whom 4637 (87%) c ompleted the questionnaire. Results-Boys were exposed to greater risk than girls in journeys to places to play outdoors: they took longer tr ips and were more likely to ride bicycles (relative risk 5.30 (95% con fidence interval 4.23 to 6.64)) and less likely to travel by public tr ansport or car. Younger pupils (aged 11-12) were less exposed to traff ic during journeys to and from school: their journeys were shorter, th ey were less likely to walk (trip to school, relative risk 0.88 (0.83 to 0.94)), and they were more likely to travel by car (trip to school, relative risk 1.33 (1.13 to 1.56)) or school bus (1.33 (1.10 to 1.62) ). Poorer children were exposed to greater risk than affluent children (from families that owned a car and a telephone): they were less like ly to travel to school by car (relative risk 0.26 (0.20 to 0.33)) or t o be accompanied by an adult (0.39 (0.32 to 0.48)). Conclusion-Injury risk data can provide useful information on child injury prevention an d can be used to identify priorities and target resources for injury p revention on a citywide scale or for an individual school.