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Childhood injuries and deaths due to falls from windows
K E Stone1, B P Lanphear, W J Pomerantz
1Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. kimstonemd@yahoo.com
Insights
Falls from windows are a significant public health concern for children, particularly young urban males. Young children and Black children face higher risks of these severe injuries.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Traumatology
- Public Health Surveillance
- Injury Prevention
Background:
- Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death in children in the US.
- Falls represent the most common type of unintentional injury.
- Window falls are a frequent cause of pediatric mortality in urban settings, with limited data outside major cities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence of pediatric falls from windows in Hamilton County, Ohio.
- To identify demographic and geographic risk factors associated with these falls.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective case series analysis using the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CHMC) Trauma Registry.
- Study period: January 1, 1991, to December 31, 1997.
- Inclusion criteria: Children under 15 residing in Hamilton County, Ohio, who experienced a fall from a window.
Main Results:
- 86 window falls occurred over 7 years, representing 6.3% of all falls. The mortality rate for window falls (4.7%) was significantly higher than for other falls (0.07%).
- Children aged 0-4 had a higher incidence rate (14.6/100,000) compared to older children (2.0/100,000).
- Males, Black children, and children residing in urban areas (Cincinnati) exhibited significantly higher fall rates compared to females, non-Black children, and children in non-urban areas, respectively.
Conclusions:
- Falls from windows constitute a critical public health issue for children in Hamilton County, Ohio.
- Young children, particularly those in urban environments, are at the highest risk.
- Targeted prevention strategies are needed for vulnerable pediatric populations to reduce window fall injuries.
Background:
Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death in children, and falls are the most common type of unintentional injury in the US. The incidence of falls from windows, a common cause of death in urban areas, has not been described outside major cities such as New York and Chicago, and rates in urban and suburban areas have not been compared.
Objective:
To estimate the incidence and identify the population at risk for falls from windows among children in Hamilton County, Ohio.
Design:
Retrospective case series identified using Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CHMC) Trauma Registry.
Setting:
Hamilton County, Ohio, which has urban and nonurban areas.
Participants:
Children less than 15 years old residing in Hamilton County, Ohio, presenting to CHMC in Cincinnati, Ohio, after a fall from a window between January 1, 1991, and December 31, 1997.
Outcome Measure:
Annual incidence by age, race, gender, and residence of those who fell from windows.
Results:
Over the 7-year study period, 86 (6.3%) of 1,363 falls were from windows. The mortality rate for falls from windows was 4.7%, compared to 0.07% for all other falls presenting to CHMC (P<.0001). Children 0-4 years old had a higher rate of falls than children aged 5-14 (14.6/100,000 vs. 2.0/100,000) (P<.0001). Males were twice as likely to fall as females (P<.016), and black children were three times more likely to fall than non-black children (P<.002). The incidence of falls in the city of Cincinnati was four times that of the non-urban area (P<.0002).
Conclusions:
Injuries from falls from windows are a public health problem in Hamilton County, Ohio, especially for young, urban children.