Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 2, 2026
Design and Analysis for Fall Detection System Simplification
Published on: April 6, 2020
Pilot case-control study of paediatric falls from windows
Brian D Johnston1, D Alexander Quistberg, Jamie R Shandro
1Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA. bdj@uw.edu
Insights
Unintentional pediatric falls from windows are linked to specific window types, deeper sills, greater height, and faulty screens. This case-control study highlights key environmental risk factors for child window falls.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric safety
- Environmental health
- Injury prevention
Background:
- Unintentional falls from windows are a significant cause of pediatric injury and morbidity.
- No controlled studies have identified modifiable environmental risk factors for these falls in young children.
- This study piloted a case-control approach to assess feasibility of data collection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To pilot a case-control study to identify modifiable environmental risk factors for pediatric window falls.
- To test procedures for case identification, subject enrollment, and environmental data collection.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of window screens in preventing falls.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study design was employed, comparing windows from which children fell with control windows.
- Case windows involved children aged 0-9 years who fell from a window.
- Control windows were selected from the child's home or from age/gender-matched children with non-fall related injuries.
Main Results:
- Case windows were more likely to be horizontal sliders, have deeper sills, and be higher above the ground compared to community controls.
- Screens on case windows were significantly more likely to fail under pressure compared to control windows.
- In-home controls showed minimal differences from case windows, suggesting potential over-matching.
Conclusions:
- Case-control methodology is viable for studying pediatric window fall risk factors.
- Recruiting community controls is challenging but crucial for accurate risk factor assessment.
- Window type, sill depth, height, and screen performance are critical factors for future research.
Background:
Unintentional falls from windows are an important cause of paediatric morbidity. There have been no controlled studies to identify modifiable environmental risk factors for window falls in young children. The authors have piloted a case-control study to test procedures for case identification, subject enrolment, and environmental data collection.
Methods:
Case windows were identified when a child 0-9 years old presented for care after a fall from that window. Control windows were identified (1) from the child's home and (2) from the home of an age- and gender-matched child seeking care for an injury diagnosis not related to a window fall. Study staff visited enrolled homes to collect window measurements and conduct window screen performance tests.
Results:
The authors enrolled and collected data on 18 case windows, 18 in-home controls, and 14 matched community controls. Six potential community controls were contacted for every one enrolled. Families who completed the home visit viewed study procedures positively. Case windows were more likely than community controls to be horizontal sliders (100% vs 50%), to have deeper sills (6.28 vs 4.31 inches), to be higher above the exterior surface (183 vs 82 inches), and to have screens that failed below a threshold derived from the static pressure of a 3-year-old leaning against the mesh (60.0% vs 16.7%). Case windows varied very little from in-home controls.
Discussion:
Case-control methodology can be used to study risk factors for paediatric falls from windows. Recruitment of community controls is challenging but essential, because in-home controls tend to be over-matched on important variables. A home visit allows direct measurement of window type, height, sill depth, and screen performance. These variables should all be investigated in subsequent, larger studies covering major housing markets.
