Injuries among preschool children enrolled in day-care centers.
In this study, 423 injury incidents among preschool children enrolled in day-care centers reported to the Los Angeles Unified School District during the 2-year period 1983 to 1984 are reviewed. The relative risk of sustaining an injury between boys and girls was 1.5:1. Among sex and age groups, younger boys (2 to 3 years of age) showed the highest injury rate and older girls (4 to 5 years of age) showed the lowest. The overall incidence was 19.7 injuries per 1,000 child-years. The majority of the injuries were minor in severity, and medical attention was recommended in only 12.8% of the injuries. The highest incidence occurred during the late morning period (9 AM to 12 noon). A consumer product was involved in 53.7% of the incidents. Three of four injuries were considered preventable by training and/or education or by the Haddon injury reduction strategies. Additional prospective studies are needed to develop and implement preventive measures.
Chang
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Division of Population, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles 90024.
Lugg
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MM
Nebedum
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D000056:Accident Prevention; D000059:Accidents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015141:Los Angeles; D008297:Male; D010988:Play and Playthings; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012621:Seasons; D013997:Time Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*