Resumen

FONSECA, Sílvia S et al. Risk factors for accidental injuries in pre-school children. Rev. chil. pediatr. [online]. 2004, vol.75, n.2, pp. 194-195. ISSN 0370-4106.  doi: 10.4067/S0370-41062004000200015.

Objective: To measure the main risk factors associated to the occurrence of accidental injuries in children aged 4-5 years. Methods: The study included a prospective cohort of children whose parents completed a diary recording accidents and injuries during a one-month period. The children represented a systematic subsample from a population-based from a birth cohort, in southern Brazil. The outcome was the number of reported injuries per child-month. Multivariate analysis (Poisson regression) was used to control for confounding factors. Results: The monthly incidence of accidents was 53,8% and 48,4% of the children suffered at least one injury. Boys had 30% more injuries than girls, and white children had 70% higher incidence than non-white. Family income, parental education and maternal employment were not associated with the frequency of injuries. After adjustment for socioeconomic and environmental factors, having younger siblings was associated with a 30% higher injury rate, and living in a home made of bricks with a 35% increase. The incidence of lesions appeared to be higher among children attending day-care centers, those living in periurban areas. Conclusions: A few risk factors were associated with in increased frequency of injuries. Of these, the most amenable to intervention appears to be the presence of younger siblings. Parents should be made aware of the increased attention for children when a younger sibling is born

Palabras clave : child; accidents; injury; injury prevention; risk factors.