TY - JOUR PY - 2019// TI - Cause and incidence of injuries experienced by children in remote Cape York Indigenous communities JO - Australian journal of primary health A1 - West, Caryn A1 - Fitts, Michelle S. A1 - Rouen, Chris A1 - Muller, Reinhold A1 - Clough, Alan R. SP - 157 EP - 162 VL - 25 IS - 2 N2 - Indigenous children experience a disproportionally high number of injuries, particularly in remote communities. This study aimed to investigate: (1) the causes of injury to children within three remote Indigenous communities of Cape York, Australia; (2) differences between communities; and (3) if strengthening of alcohol restrictions reduced the incidence of injury. An injury profile for children aged 0-14 years was constructed for the period 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2011 using clinical file audit data from Primary Health Care Clinics located in each community. Children aged <14 years were responsible for 1461 injury presentations among 563 individuals. Males were responsible for 58.7% of presentations and 38% (n = 214) of children presented on three or more occasions. The leading causes of injury were falls (including sports); cutting and piercing; animals, insects and plants; transport and assault. There were variations in the order of major injury causes across the three communities. As primary causes of injury, falls and transport-related injuries aligned with other child populations. Cutting and piercing; animals, insects and plants; and assault-related injuries were more prevalent compared with other child populations. There was a significant difference in injury rates between communities and no significant difference before and after the strengthening of alcohol restrictions.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 1448-7527 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/PY18175 ID - ref1 ER -