Citation

Tanaka TETSURO. Pediatr. Int. 1993; 35(3): 179-185.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1993, Japan Pediatric Society, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1442-200X.1993.tb03035.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Approximately 2000 children aged between 0 and 14 years die annually of accidents and their sequelae in Japan. Moreover, accidents and their sequelae are the leading cause of death in the 1–4 year, 5–9 year and 10–14 year age groups. Accidental drowning and traffic accidents account for 2/3 of all such deaths. Measures for preventing injury in these age groups are clearly necessary, since the mortality rate due to accidents and their sequelae in children 0 to 4 years old is higher in Japan than in European countries.

It is considered that the lives of 824 infants aged between 0 and 4 years might be saved annually in Japan if the mortality rate could be reduced to a level comparable to that in Sweden by accident prevention and control. Therefore, a systematic approach for prevention of childhood injury is a high priority in Japan.