Non-fatal injuries among urban and rural residents: the National Health Interview Survey, 1997-2001.
OBJECTIVE
Although death rates from injuries are higher in rural areas compared with large metropolitan areas, little is known about how non-fatal injury rates vary by rurality. Data from the 1997-2001 US National Health Interview Surveys were used to explore associations between rurality and non-fatal injury.


METHODS
A nationally representative survey.


METHODS
The annual injury rates per 1000 adults and 95% CIs were computed for medically attended injuries. Counties of residence were coded according to urban influence codes into four categories: large urban, small urban, suburban and rural. A linear-by-linear trend test was used to determine whether injury rates increase monotonically with county rurality. Logistic regression was used to control potential confounders.


RESULTS
Compared with large urban counties, small urban counties experienced 8% higher injury odds (95% CI 1% to 15%); suburban counties 20% higher injury odds (95% CI 10% to 31%); and rural counties 30% higher injury odds (95% CI 17% to 43%) after adjusting for age, gender, marital status, education and health insurance.


CONCLUSIONS
Rural residents had higher non-fatal injury rates than urban and suburban residents. Exploring this discrepancy can further contribute to new hypotheses regarding rural injury risk and ultimately lead to better suited interventions for rural residents.
Tiesman
Hope
H
The University of Iowa Injury Prevention Research Center, Iowa City, IA 52242-5000, USA.
Zwerling
Craig
C
Peek-Asa
Corinne
C
Sprince
Nancy
N
Cavanaugh
Joseph E
JE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control