Epidemiology of Injuries among Secondary School Students and Assessment of their Knowledge about Injuries and its Prevention

Abstract

Injuries considered as the leading cause of death and long term disability and a significant contributor to healthcare costs among children worldwide especially who aged 15 - 19 years. In Egypt, injury represents 20% of total deaths. And about 21.7% of non-fatal injuries occurred in age group 10 -19. A cross-sectional study was carried out on secondary school students in eastern and western part of Cairo. A total of 897 students were interviewed to measure the prevalence of injuries; to explore the associated risk factors for sustaining injury; and to explore the knowledge, attitude and practice of students towards injuries and its prevention through using self-administered questionnaire. The results of study showed that the overall prevalence of injuries was (68.5%) with no statistical significant difference between males and females in occurrence of injury. The most frequent cause of sustained injury was fall 0%), Burns (38.6%), violence related injuries (36.5%) and Road traffic injuries (27.5%). Hospitalization rate due to injury was (16.1%). The places where injuries occurred mostly were Homes (40.6%), streets (31.6%) and schools (13.5%). The most reported injuries were unintentional in nature (87.9%), intentional injuries 12.1%).