title: Injuries caused by pets in Asian urban households: a cross-sectional telephone survey.
abstract: Little is known about pet-related injuries in Asian populations. This study primarily aimed to investigate the incidence rate of pet-related household injuries in Hong Kong, an urban Chinese setting.
  
  
  
  Cantonese-speaking non-institutionalised population of all ages in Hong Kong accessible by telephone land-line.
  
  
  
  A total of 43 542 telephone numbers were dialled and 6570 residents successfully completed the interviews.
  
  
  
  Data of pet-related household injuries in the previous 12 months, pet ownership and socio-demographic characteristics were collected with a questionnaire. Direct standardisation of the incidence rates of pet-related household injuries by gender and age to the 2009 Hong Kong Population Census was estimated. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to estimate risks of socio-demographic factors and pet ownership for the injury.
  
  
  
  A total of 84 participants experienced pet-related household injuries in the past 12 months, with an overall person-based incidence rate of 1.28%. The majority of the victims were injured once (69.6%). Cats (51.6%) were the most common pets involved. Pet owners were at an extremely higher risk after controlling for other factors (adjusted OR: 52.0, 95% CI 22.1 to 98.7). Females, the unmarried, those with higher monthly household income and those living in lower-density housing were more likely to be injured by pets.
  
  
  
  We project a pet-related household injury incidence rate of 1.24% in the general Hong Kong population, with 86 334 residents sustaining pet-related injuries every year. Pet ownership puts people at extremely high risk, especially the unmarried. Further studies should focus on educating pet owners to reduce pet-related injuries in urban Greater China.
authors.affiliation: JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Emily Y Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Injury Prevention Research Center, Medical College of Shantou University, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: Liping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Po Yi
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D057805:Pets; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: China; pet ownership; pet-related injury; socio-demographic; urban