Citation

Ruangkanchanasetr S. J. Med. Assoc. Thai. 1989; 72(Suppl 1): 144-150.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1989, Medical Association of Thailand)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

2659715

Abstract

Injuries and poisoning are increasingly common causes of mortality, mobidity, and disability in children all over the world; not to speak of the socio-economic cost and human suffering involved. By trying to change the perception of unavoidable or unpreventable accidents to injury syndromes which have an 'agent-host-environment' model as any disease, we can understand better the epidemiology of injuries. All kinds of energy can injure children who by nature are at risk. Their curiosity, limited knowledge, developmental ability at a certain age, in addition to some anatomical disadvantages increase childhood injury-rates. Boys have a higher rate than girls in every age group which may be due to higher exposure to risk, as well as their more aggressive and overactive behaviour. Under inappropriate adult supervision and unsafe environment, tragedies will always happen. Maternal factors, including age, education, physical and mental health, directly effect childhood injury rates. Other environmental factors are home and neighbouring safety, parent's type of work, and socio-economic status. Without knowledge of how important injuries are, how they occur, and which population is at risk, one will never find how to prevent injuries at all.

Language: en