Injuries Among US Children With Different Types of Disabilities

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine whether risk of injury differs among children on the basis of the type of disability, and whether the characteristics of injury episodes differ by disability status. METHODS: We used nationally representative data from the 1997-2005 National Health Interview Survey to compare medically attended injuries among children aged 0 to 17 years who had and did not have a disability. Characteristics of injury episodes were compared by disability status. We calculated prevalence and risk of injury by type of disability. RESULTS: Children who had a single disability had a significantly higher prevalence of injury than children without a disability (3.8% vs 2.5%; P<.01). Characteristics of injury episodes did not differ significantly by disability status (P>.05). After we controlled for sociodemographic variables, we found that only children with emotional or behavioral problems had a significantly higher risk of injury compared with children without a disability (prevalence ratio=1.50; 95% confidence interval=1.15, 1.97; P<.01). CONCLUSIONS: Children with certain types of disabilities are at a significantly higher risk of injuries than are children without disabilities, but the characteristics of injuries are similar.