Open AccessEpidemiology of playground equipment related/unrelated injuries to children
Author(s) -
Dongbum Suh,
Jin Hee Jung,
Ikwan Chang,
Jin Hee Lee,
Jae Yun Jung,
Young Ho Kwak,
Do Kyun Kim
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.59
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1536-5964
pISSN - 0025-7974
DOI - 10.1097/md.0000000000013705
Subject(s) - medicine , epidemiology , observational study , logistic regression , injury prevention , emergency department , poison control , population , retrospective cohort study , occupational safety and health , public health , emergency medicine , pediatrics , environmental health , pathology , psychiatry
Abstract The aim of study was to understand the epidemiology of playground injury and to find the factors related to the clinically significant injuries. This retrospective observational study enrolled children (age 0–18 years old) who visited the emergency departments (ED) of 6 hospitals in Korea. We obtained and analyzed the data from the ED injury surveillance system, which was supported by the Korea Centers for Disease Control. Clinically significant injury (Cs injury) was defined as the injuries that caused hospital admission for more than one day. The factors associated with injury and clinical outcome were compared between admitted and discharged patient groups. Multivariable logistic regression and the population attributable fraction were used to identify significant factors for hospitalization. A total of 1458 patients were enrolled. The proportion of patients who visited ED due to injuries unrelated to the playground equipment use was 57.8%. The majority of Cs injury was upper extremity fractures (68.1%). The risk factors for admission were the 6- to 11-year old age group (OR 5.7, 95% CI 1.3–25.0) and public playground (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.1–5.3); the population attributable factor of these factors was 51.3% and 36.0%, respectively. This study shows that approximately 60% of the patients visited ED due to injury unrelated to the playground equipment use. The risk factors of Cs injuries were ages 6 to 11 and public playgrounds. The results of the study can be helpful to formulate the prevention policy against playground injury.