Citation

Howard A, Camden A, Macarthur C, Maguire J, Birken C, Parkin P. Inj. Prev. 2012; 18(Suppl 1): A109-A110.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/injuryprev-2012-040590d.43

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Background Previous studies have reported an association between temperament and fracture risk among school-age children; however, few studies have examined this association among preschool children.

Aims/Objective/Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the association between temperament and fracture risk among preschool children (3-5 years).

Methods A cross-sectional study with a case-control analytic approach was used to examine the association between temperament and fracture risk among preschool children in Toronto, Canada. Participants were selected from TARGet Kids!--a community-based pediatric primary care research network. Cases were children who had experienced a fracture. Controls were children with no history of fracture. A 1 : 12 ratio of cases: controls was used, with all cases selected and random sampling of controls. Primary exposure variables included three temperament subscales from the Children's Behavior Questionnaire--Surgency, Effortful Control and Negative Affect. Logistic regression was conducted to estimate the ORs and 95% CIs of fractures predicted by temperament, adjusted for sex and daycare status. Models were run for each temperament subscale.

Results/Outcomes A total of 48 cases and 600 controls were selected. No significant association between temperament and fracture risk was found. Sex (females vs males, unadjusted OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.29 to 4.68) and daycare attendance (attends vs does not attend, unadjusted OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.80) were the only significant predictors of fracture risk among preschool children.

Significance/Contribution to the Field These findings contrast with results among school-age children. The lack of association between temperament and injury may relate to increased supervision of preschool children and developmental stage.

This is an abstract of a presentation at Safety 2012, the 11th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion, 1-4 October 2012, Michael Fowler Center, Wellington, New Zealand. Full text does not seem to be available for this abstract.