Unintentional injury among low-income 5-year-olds with chronic health conditions

David C Schwebel; Carl M Brezausek

doi:10.1177/1742395310394220

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Unintentional injury among low-income 5-year-olds with chronic health conditions

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Unintentional injury among low-income 5-year-olds with chronic health conditions

David C Schwebel and Carl M Brezausek

Chronic illness, Vol.7(3), pp.201-208

09/2011

DOI: 10.1177/1742395310394220

PMID: 21343221

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Abstract

Growing numbers of children suffer from chronic health conditions, and initial evidence suggests chronic illness may be associated with increased child injury risk. We examined injury risk among 5-year-olds with and without chronic health conditions. Data from a diverse US sample of 7954 low-income 5-year-olds participating in the National Head Start/Public School Early Childhood Transition Demonstration Study were analysed. Mothers reported demographics, presence/absence of eight chronic health conditions, and whether children had experienced injuries requiring professional medical attention in the past year. Primary analyses used ordinal logistic regression. Asthma, bronchitis, recurrent ear infections, hay fever/allergies and speech problems associated with increased injury risk (OR range = 1.20-1.49 in bivariate ordinal logistic regression, ps < 0.01). Children with cerebral palsy had reduced injury risk (OR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.15-0.91, p < 0.05). Most findings held after including demographic covariates in multivariate models. Because a range of chronic health conditions associated with increased injury risk, the causal mechanism behind relations between chronic illness and injury risk may not be disease-specific. Instead, factors related to having chronic medical conditions-not any particular condition-might contribute. Possible mediators include impaired family functioning, impaired peer relations, and familiarity with the health system/health-seeking behaviours.

Accidents - statistics & numerical data

Child, Preschool

Chronic Disease - epidemiology

Cross-Sectional Studies

Early Intervention (Education)

Female

Humans

Logistic Models

Male

Poverty

Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

Risk Factors

Socioeconomic Factors

United States - epidemiology

Wounds and Injuries - epidemiology

Wounds and Injuries - etiology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Unintentional injury among low-income 5-year-olds with chronic health conditions
Creators: David C Schwebel - University of Alabama at Birmingham
Carl M Brezausek - University of Alabama at Birmingham
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Chronic illness, Vol.7(3), pp.201-208
DOI: 10.1177/1742395310394220
PMID: 21343221
NLM abbreviation: Chronic Illn
ISSN: 1742-3953
eISSN: 1745-9206
Language: English
Date published: 09/2011
Academic Unit: Research Administration
Record Identifier: 9984949180202771

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