Frequency, Causes, and Places of Unintentional Injuries in a Nationally Representative Sample of Iranian Children and Adolescents: The CASPIAN-IV Study.
BACKGROUND
This study aims to assess the frequency, causes, and places of injuries in a nationally representative sample of Iranian children and adolescents, as well as the referral, places allocated for injured individuals.


METHODS
This nationwide study was conducted in 2011-2012 among 13486 elementary, secondary and high-school students who were selected by random cluster stratified multistage sampling from 30 provinces in Iran. The Global School-based Health Survey questionnaire of the World Health Organization was used.


RESULTS
The study participants consisted of 50.8% boys, 75.6% urban resident with a mean age of 12.5 years. Overall, 20.25% of participants reported that they were minimally injured once in the last 12 months; this prevalence was higher in boys than in girls (25.74% vs. 14.58%, respectively, P < 0.001), without significant difference in urban (20.11%) and rural (20.69%) areas. Most of them (39.92%) were injured at homes or house yards with higher prevalence in girls than in boys (48.61% vs. 35.17%, respectively, P < 0.001) and in rural than in urban areas (27.30% vs. 20.89%, respectively, P < 0.001). Schools were reported as the second prevalent site of injury occurrence (22.50%). Emergency departments and physician offices were the most prevalent referral places for injured individuals (32.31% and 22.38%, respectively). Most of the school injuries occurred during play or sport activities (45.92%).


CONCLUSIONS
Prevention of unintentional injuries should be considered as a health priority. Appropriate preventive strategies should be enhanced at homes and schools.
Department of Pediatrics, Child Growth and Development Research Center, Research Institute for Primary Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Roya
R
Kelishadi
Department of Epidemiology, Chronic Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ; Department of Community Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran.
Mostafa
M
Qorbani
Department of Pediatrics, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran ; Department of School Health, Bureau of Family, Population, and School Health, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran.
Mohammad Esmaeel
ME
Motlagh
Department of School Health, Bureau of Family, Population, and School Health, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran.
Gelayol
G
Ardalan
Department of Laboratory Sciences, Buali-Sina University, Hamedan, Iran.
Mohammad
M
Moafi
Department of School Health, Bureau of Family, Population, and School Health, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran.
Minoosadat
M
Mahmood-Arabi
Department of Epidemiology, Chronic Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Ramin
R
Heshmat
Department of Pediatrics, Child Growth and Development Research Center, Research Institute for Primary Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Mohsen
M
Jari
Adolescents; Iran; children; injuries; prevention