OBJECTIVESTo study incidence characteristics and causes of injury, and its medical consequences in school children of China.

METHODSA total of 2,553 school children aged 7-16 years were recruited from Shantou City in Gunagdong by cluster sampling method, and were investigated with questionnaires on cases of injuries occurred among them from October 1, 1996 to September 30, 1997.

RESULTSInjuries tended to increase with children's age, with an overall incidence rate of 37.96%, higher in boys than in girls (P<0.05); and 38.1% of children had more than two episodes of injury during this period. Falls took leading place of injury incidence both in boys and girls and in all age groups. Most injuries occurred when they were playing, sporting, riding and walking at home or in school. Self-inflicted injury ranked the first place of all injuries, followed by hurt caused by others (classmates, sibling or others). Moderate and serious injuries accounted for 8% of the total with a disability rate of 121.4/100,000.

CONCLUSIONSCurrently, injury has become one of the serious public health problems in China. For the improvement of children survival, it is crucial to reduce their injury to strengthen research on child safety and to implement safety-promotion programs.