Risk factors for injury during adolescence

Injuries kill more American adolescents than all other diseases combined. It is unclear, however, if adolescents are able or willing to provide the information necessary to characterize their risk for injury. Our objective was to determine if adolescents hospitalized for severe injury are more likely than those hospitalized for acute illness to describe risk factors for injury such as: previous injury, family dysfunction, recent stress, or substance use. All patients completed the Offer Self-Image Questionnaire, the Life-Events Scale for Adolescents, the Adolescent Alcohol-Involvement Scale, and the NIDA Adolescent Drug Use Survey. There were no differences between injured and ill adolescents in demographics, impulse control, emotional tone, perceived family function, alcohol scores, or use of cigarettes, marijuana, or other illicit drugs. The groups differed significantly in sex, previous serious injury, previous hospitalization for injury, injury after alcohol or drug use, and life-event scores. The most common life stresses reported were parental or sibling hospitalization, death of a grandparent, school failure or suspension, getting a summer job, and breaking up with a girl/boy friend. Two variables comprised a stepwise logistic regression model designed to differentiate injured from ill adolescents: male sex and life-event score. We conclude that adolescent boys with recent stressful events may be at high risk for unintentional injury.