Influence of sociodemographic factors on the risk of unintentional childhood home injuries

Background: While social differences in childhood injuries are recognized, less is known about how social and demographic differences relate to injury mechanism. The purpose of the study was to reveal how sociodemographic factors affect the incidence of unintentional home injuries in Danish children for specific injury mechanisms and involved products. Methods: Information on injuries in 173 504 children treated at emergency departments was recorded for the period 1998-2003. The information was linked to data including parents education and income and family type, and the results were compared with those for a random sample of the population. Results: A total of 50 561 injuries were analysed. The risk was 1.5 (1.5-1.6) for children with mothers having only primary education compared to tertiary education, and 1.5 (1.4-1.6) for children in families with the lowest vs. the highest income. Risk differences were found for all injury mechanisms; however the risk for burns was 1.9 (1.6-2.3) times higher in the lowest-income group than in the highest-income group, the relative risk for poisoning was 1.7(1.4-2.1). For scalds from hot water, tea or coffee, the relative risk for the lowest-income group was 2.4(1.8-3.2). Living in a one- or two-parent family and size of the dwelling had little or no effect on risk. Conclusion: Childhood injury incidence depended on sociodemographic factors. The effect of the sociodemographic factors varied between injury mechanisms and products involved in the injury.