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Epidemiology and prevention of childhood injuries
M Denise Dowd1, Heather T Keenan, Susan L Bratton
1Department of Pediatrics, Children's Mercy Hospital, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO, USA.
Insights
Childhood traumatic injuries are preventable, with factors identified for targeted interventions. Multifaceted strategies, including engineering and behavioral changes, are key to reducing injury deaths.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Traumatology
- Public Health
- Injury Prevention Science
Background:
- Traumatic injury is the primary cause of death in children post-infancy.
- Leading causes include motor vehicle crashes, submersion, homicide, suicide, and fires.
- Injuries are not random, with identifiable risk factors enabling targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review factors associated with childhood injuries.
- To discuss conceptual models for injury prevention.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of multifaceted prevention strategies.
Main Methods:
- Review of injury research, including conceptual models.
- Analysis of successful prevention strategies (education, behavior, legislation, environment).
- Consideration of societal and economic costs and benefits.
Main Results:
- Passive measures (e.g., engineering) are generally more effective than behavioral modification.
- Childhood injury prevention has reduced deaths from some causes (e.g., motor vehicle crashes).
- Deaths from gun-related homicide and suicide in children remain a significant challenge.
Conclusions:
- Childhood injuries are preventable through identification of risk factors and targeted interventions.
- Multifaceted prevention programs require careful evaluation of effectiveness and cost-benefit.
- Critical care providers play a role in both prevention and acute care of injured children.
Abstract:
Traumatic injury is the leading cause of death in children after infancy. The leading causes of childhood injury deaths are motor vehicle crashes, submersion injury, homicide, suicide, and fires. Injuries are not random events. Factors associated with injuries allow identification of high-risk populations and targeted interventions. Injury research includes development of conceptual models to include preinjury, event, and postevent features that can be modified to prevent or limit injuries. Successful prevention strategies often include multifaceted approaches such as education, incentives for safe human behavior, legislation/enforcement, and environmental changes. Preventive programs must weigh both societal and economic values and costs. Careful evaluation for effectiveness of injury prevention programs to decrease or limit injury continues to be a challenge. Generally, passive measure such as improved engineering are more effective than measures that require modification of human behaviors. Childhood injury prevention programs have reduced deaths from some causes such as motor vehicle crashes, but deaths from gun-related homicide and suicide remain high. Critical care providers can actively engage in both prevention efforts and improved acute care of the severely injured child.