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Intentional childhood injuries in Greece 1996-97--data from a population-based Emergency Department Injury
E Petridou1, M Moustaki, E Gemanaki
1Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Athens University Medical School, Greece. epetrid@cc.uoa.gr
Insights
Intentional injuries in Greek children, though less common than in other countries, are a significant concern. These injuries are more severe and prevalent in older migrant children, particularly during nighttime.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric injury surveillance
- Childhood intentional injuries
- Public health epidemiology
Background:
- Intentional injuries in children are a recognized societal issue.
- Population-based data on childhood intentional injuries in Greece were previously unavailable.
- The Emergency Department Injury Surveillance System (EDISS) was utilized for data collection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence and characteristics of intentional injuries among children aged 0-14 in Greece.
- To provide population-based data on childhood violence-related injuries.
- To compare intentional injuries with unintentional injuries.
Main Methods:
- Data were collected from the Emergency Department Injury Surveillance System (EDISS) between 1996-97.
- The EDISS database included information from three hospitals: two district hospitals and one university children's hospital.
- Interviews with injured children and their escorts were conducted.
Main Results:
- 0.23% of 46,807 children in EDISS experienced intentional injuries.
- Intentional injuries were more common in older children and migrant children compared to unintentional injuries.
- These injuries were more serious, often multiple, concentrated on the head, and occurred more frequently during late night/early morning hours.
Conclusions:
- A problem of violence against children exists in Greece.
- The magnitude of intentional childhood injuries in Greece appears smaller than in other populations.
- Further research is needed to fully estimate the problem's scope.
Aim:
It has been gradually recognized that intentional injuries among children represent a largely hidden problem in modern societies. With the exception of mortality, population-based data from Greece have not been previously reported. To assess the magnitude and the characteristics of intentional injuries among children aged 0-14 years old, data from the population-based Emergency Department Injury Surveillance System (EDISS) database during the period 1996-97 were used.
Methods:
EDISS relies on personal interviews with children and their escorts who contact the emergency departments of three hospitals. Two of these hospitals are district hospitals of the county of Magnesia and the island of Corfu, whereas the other is a university children's hospital that covers the Greater Athens area on alternative days.
Results:
Among 46.807 children recorded in EDISS, 108 injuries (0.23%) were attributed to acts of violence. Among the 108 intentional injuries, only 11 were caused by firearms or other weapons and only 4 concerned infants. In comparison to unintentional home and leisure injuries, intentional childhood injuries increase significantly with age and they are more common among migrant children. They occur more frequently during late night and early morning hours, they are more serious, and they are more often multiple and concentrated on the head.
Conclusions:
In Greece. a problem of violence directed against children does exist. The actual magnitude of this problem is difficult to estimate, but its size appears to be smaller in comparison with that reported in other populations.
