Nursing Practice
Review
Public health
Keywords: Public health/Child health/
Accident prevention
Author Eustace de Sousa is national lead,
children, young people and families, Public
Health England.
Abstract de Sousa E (2014) Preventing
unintentional injuries in children. Nursing
Times; 110: 47, 12-14.
Parents and carers try to keep children
safe but accidents do occur, particularly in
children aged under five years, and many
take place in the home. Although it is rare,
some of these may even result in death. In
an effort to reduce the incidence of these
injuries and deaths, Public Health England
published a report earlier this year that
identifies who is at risk and how
professionals involved in children’s early
years care can help tackle the issue. This
article summarises the key findings of
that report.
Keeping children safe in and
around the home is every parent’s
and carer’s priority but we
know, from the moment a new
baby is home, an infinite number of hazards
and risks can lead to unintentional
injuries. So what more can be done to keep
children safe, and what is the role of health
and early years staff ? This article draws on
a report by Public Health England, published
in the summer, which looks specifically
at children aged under five in the
home (Public Health England, 2014).
Why focus on unintentional
injuries and deaths?
As part of its priority work on child and
family health, PHE identified unintentional
injuries as a major issue for the following
reasons:
» The numbers of children affected each
year. Between 2008-09 and 2012-13, on
5 key
points
1 More than a third
of admissions in
those aged 0-25
years are children
aged under five
2There are more
unintentional
injuries and deaths
in areas of
deprivation than in
wealthier areas
3Parents and
carers may not
realise which
household objects
are hazards
4Most injuries
fall into one of
five categories
5Multi-agency
working is
crucial to make
homes safer for
children
average, 450,000 attended accident and
emergency, 40,000 were admitted, and
60 under-fives died;
» The particular impact on poorer
households. Our analysis shows that
unintentional injury rates were 45%
higher for children from the most
deprived areas compared with children
from the least deprived;
» Many of these injuries are avoidable.
The work undertaken led to a collaboration
with the Child Accident Prevention
Trust (CAPT), supported by the Royal
Society for the Prevention of Accidents
and the Association of Directors of Public
Health, to identify the scale of the issue
and what action could be taken. PHE published
its findings earlier this year along
with data tools and more detailed analysis
for local authorities, health services and
injury prevention partnerships. The work
focused on children aged under five years
because this age group accounts for more
than one in three of all hospital admissions
for injuries in 0-25-year-olds (PHE, 2014).
Research involving child survivors and
their families has also shown that there
can be significant psychological trauma
(CAPT, 2014) to those involved in serious
injuries beyond the physical harm caused.
A serious burn or scald potentially has
consequences that last a lifetime, as do
injuries leading to a loss of function.
Key findings
Our analysis of injury and mortality data
of under-fives found that in England, for
each of the five years between 2008-09 and
2012-13, there were almost 40,000 emergency
hospital admissions – this equates
to 110 admissions each day of the week.
Between 2008-09 and 2011-12 an analysis
Nursing PracticeReviewPublic healthKeywords: Public health/Child health/Accident preventionAuthor Eustace de Sousa is national lead,children, young people and families, PublicHealth England.Abstract de Sousa E (2014) Preventingunintentional injuries in children. NursingTimes; 110: 47, 12-14.Parents and carers try to keep childrensafe but accidents do occur, particularly inchildren aged under five years, and manytake place in the home. Although it is rare,some of these may even result in death. Inan effort to reduce the incidence of theseinjuries and deaths, Public Health Englandpublished a report earlier this year thatidentifies who is at risk and howprofessionals involved in children’s earlyyears care can help tackle the issue. Thisarticle summarises the key findings ofthat report.Keeping children safe in andaround the home is every parent’sand carer’s priority but weknow, from the moment a newbaby is home, an infinite number of hazardsand risks can lead to unintentionalinjuries. So what more can be done to keepchildren safe, and what is the role of healthand early years staff ? This article draws ona report by Public Health England, publishedin the summer, which looks specificallyat children aged under five in thehome (Public Health England, 2014).Why focus on unintentionalinjuries and deaths?As part of its priority work on child andfamily health, PHE identified unintentionalinjuries as a major issue for the followingreasons:» The numbers of children affected eachyear. Between 2008-09 and 2012-13, on5 keypoints1 More than a thirdof admissions inthose aged 0-25years are childrenaged under five2There are moreunintentionalinjuries and deathsin areas ofdeprivation than inwealthier areas3Parents andcarers may notrealise whichhousehold objectsare hazards4Most injuriesfall into one offive categories5Multi-agencyworking iscrucial to makehomes safer forchildrenaverage, 450,000 attended accident andemergency, 40,000 were admitted, and60 under-fives died;» The particular impact on poorerhouseholds. Our analysis shows thatunintentional injury rates were 45%higher for children from the mostdeprived areas compared with childrenfrom the least deprived;» Many of these injuries are avoidable.The work undertaken led to a collaborationwith the Child Accident PreventionTrust (CAPT), supported by the RoyalSociety for the Prevention of Accidentsand the Association of Directors of PublicHealth, to identify the scale of the issueand what action could be taken. PHE publishedits findings earlier this year alongwith data tools and more detailed analysisfor local authorities, health services andinjury prevention partnerships. The workfocused on children aged under five yearsbecause this age group accounts for morethan one in three of all hospital admissionsfor injuries in 0-25-year-olds (PHE, 2014).Research involving child survivors andtheir families has also shown that therecan be significant psychological trauma(CAPT, 2014) to those involved in seriousinjuries beyond the physical harm caused.A serious burn or scald potentially hasconsequences that last a lifetime, as doinjuries leading to a loss of function.Key findingsOur analysis of injury and mortality dataof under-fives found that in England, foreach of the five years between 2008-09 and2012-13, there were almost 40,000 emergencyhospital admissions – this equatesto 110 admissions each day of the week.Between 2008-09 and 2011-12 an analysis
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