[Domestic injuries in childhood. Results of a survey carried out in a Sicilian area].
A retrospective investigation was performed with an anonymous questionnaire administered to the mothers of 2208 children aged between 3 and 11 years, randomly selected from the residents of three target areas: a country town, a residential and a popular quarter of a chief town (Catania, Sicily). Of the 2208 mothers in the three areas, 1151 completed the questionnaire with an overall response rate of 52.12%. In the last 6 months a large number of children (17.29%) suffered at least one accident at home. Predominating injuries were falls (71.86%) followed by cutting or stab-wounds (13.57%). The more frequent lesions were contusions (42.13%), wounds (29.95%) and fractures (14.22%). Almost the half of children victims of injuries required hospital care (44.72%). The majority of domestic accidents occurred in the bathroom (17.10%), in the kitchen (15.10%) and in the bedroom (10.55%). Fractures and wounds were more frequent among children aged 6-11 and 3-5 years, respectively. The highest frequency of domestic accidents among children of all ages living in the popular quarter (20.89%) and in the country town (19.18%) compared with those living in the residential quarter (11.67%) (chi2= 12,768, P<0.01) could be related to their lower socio-economic condition.
Coniglio
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Dipartimento G.F. Ingrassia--Igiene e Sanità Pubblica, Università di Catania.
Bonaccorso
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Scillieri
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Giammanco
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G
Pignato
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S
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000061:Accidents, Home / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012802:Sicily / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*