title: Labor and Related Injuries among Schoolchildren in Palestine: Findings from the National Study of Palestinian Schoolchildren (HBSC-WBG2006).
abstract: Background. Labor related injuries among Palestinian schoolchildren are a significant undocumented public health concern. This study aimed at documenting the prevalence and nature of work related injuries among schoolchildren as well as identifying sociodemographic factors that predict these injuries. Methods. A cross-sectional survey included 15,963 children of whom 6458 (40.8%) completed an optional package related to labor. Students aged 12-18 years self-completed the international WHO collaborative HBSC valid questionnaires between April and May of 2006. Results. Approximately 73.8% of the students who filled the optional package reported working during the last 12 months, of whom 79.1% sustained a work related injury. Work injuries were significantly higher among boys, younger children, and children enrolled in UNRWA schools and living in Gaza Strip (P < 0.05). Children working ≥3 hours/day were more likely to experience injuries, 1.73 (95% CI, 1.53-1.95), than those working ≤3/day. About half of the children worked in retail trade (51.5%), agriculture (20.0%), and cleaning (11.4%). Injury type was related to the type of work performed. Conclusions. The high prevalence of injuries among working Palestinian schoolchildren confirms its severity as a public health problem. To reduce occupational injuries, policymakers and professionals should develop intervention programs that target the public and health providers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, P.O. Box 2208, 71003 Iraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0328-4219
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jildeh
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University, The Al-Quds Nutrition and Health Research Center, Abu Dies, West Bank, P.O. Box 20760, Jerusalem, Palestine ; Faculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University, P.O. Box 51000, Jerusalem, Palestine.
authors.forename: Ziad
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Abdeen
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, An-Najah National University, P.O. Box 7, Nablus, West Bank, Palestine.
authors.forename: Haleama
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7357-5823
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Al Sabbah
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, Harokopio University of Athens, 70 El. Venizelou Avenue, Kallithea, 17671 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6803-507X
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Papandreou
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University, P.O. Box 51000, Jerusalem, Palestine.
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2749-3701
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ghannam
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing, University of Texas, 6901 Bertner Avenue, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9590-0217
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Weller
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, P.O. Box 2208, 71003 Iraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Anastas
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3527-3565
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Philalithis