A Profile of Injuries in the Community Dr

A Profile of Injuries in the Community Dr. Michal Molcho, Health Promotion Research Centre, National University of Galway, Ireland

Why is it important?

Injuries in the Community • Based on self report • Focus on medically attended injuries to exclude minor injuries • 12 months recall period (based on previous studies on recall bias in injuries)

Main sources of information • 10 -18 year olds: Health Behaviour in School Age Children (HBSC) • 18+ : Survey of Lifestyle and Nutrition (SLAN)

HBSC - background • A cross-national research study conducted in collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for Europe • HBSC was initiated in 1982 and is conducted every 4 years • Ireland collects data since 1998 • HBSC 2006 collected data from more than 180, 000 children from 41 countries • Injury items are developed by the Violence and Injury Prevention Focus Group (VIP-FG)

2006 HBSC Ireland • N= 10, 334 schoolchildren (aged 10 to 18 years) from 215 primary and post-primary schools. • Study was carried out in May-June and Sept. -Oct. 2006 • Schools’ response rate: 63%; Students’ response rate: 83% • PI: Dr. Saoirse Nic Gabhainn; Deputy PI: Dr. Michal Molcho; Research Manager: Dr. Colette Kelly • www. nuigalway. ie/hbsc

SLÁN SURVEY • Nationally representative study of adults residing in Ireland Proportionate cluster sample Carried out between Nov. 2006 Oct. 2007 through face -to-face interviews Response rate of 64% Three components: • • – – – Interview 10, 364 individuals aged 18+ Anthropometric measurements 1, 000 individuals aged 18 -44 Physical examination 1, 600 individuals aged 45+

SLÁN CONSORTIUM RCSI: Prof Hannah Mc. Gee Prof Ruairi Brugha, Dr Ronan Conroy, Dr Emer Shelley (and HSE), Ms Karen Morgan ESRI: Dr Dorothy Watson Dr Richard Layte UCC: Prof Ivan Perry Ms Janas Harrington NUIG: Prof Margaret Barry Dr Michel Molcho www. slan 07. ie

Prevalence of injuries Ø Overall, 43% (51% boys; 34% girls) of 1018 and 9% (11 men; 7% women) of 18+ reported a medically attended injury Ø Of those injured, 37% of 10 -18 and 51% of 18+ lost 3 or more days of activity due to an injury

Injury: HBSC Boys Girls

Injury: SLAN

Summary Ø Injuries are most prevalent in young males Ø Sport facility, house and construction site (school for 10 -18 y) are leading injury locations for male, house for females Ø Sport activity and paid work are the leading activities in which adult males injured, house work and walking for adult females Ø For 10 -18 y of both genders sport activity and walking are the leading activities Ø In adults, trips and falls are the leading causes of injuries

Future work Ø Report on injuries in Ireland ØBased on SLAN survey ØWill include data from HSC, HIPE data and mortality data Ø HRB application