Incidence and impact of childhood and adolescent injuries: A population-based study

Background: The study of disabilities, use of health services, and absentee ism of parents among 0- to 17-year-old residents of Jerusalem (n = 432) hos pitalized for unintentional injuries. Methods: Telephone interviews with parents, 6 months after hospitalization. Disabilities among 4 to 17 year olds were measured by a 25-item scale deri ved from the International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities, and Handicaps and hy limitations of activities. Results: Six months after the injury, limitations ranged from 8.3% (daily a ctivities) to 19.4% (sport activities), About one in three presented at lea st one disability in the 25-item scale. All disabilities were present in hi gher proportions among adolescents. The more severe injuries whether to the head or other parts of the body presented higher percentages of disabiliti es. Burns and traffic crashes were associated with higher proportions of di sabilities than other causes and with more frequent work absenteeism by the ir parents. Conclusion: A relatively large proportion of children remain with long-term disabilities irrespective of cause and body part injured. Because the sequ elae of injuries is multifaceted, rehabilitation should include coordinatio n between health and other services.