Incidence and characteristics of unintentional injuries among children in a resource limited setting in Kampala, Uganda

ABSTRACT

Given that little is known about the epidemiology of unintentional injuries in children in low-income countries, this study sought to determine the incidence and characteristics of unintentional injuries among children aged ≤18 years in a slum community in Uganda. From a household survey, the incidence and odds ratios for factors associated with unintentional injury characteristics were calculated. Of 1583 children, 706 had suffered 787 unintentional injuries yielding an annual incidence rate of 497 injuries per 1000 children. Commonest injuries were cuts, bites or open wounds (30.6%) and bruises or superficial injuries (28.6%) with majority (75.5%) occurring at home. Boys were more likely to be injured at school (AOR 4.34; 95% CI 1.22–15.54) and to be injured from falls (AOR 1.41; 95% CI 1.01–1.96). Older children (12–18 years) were more likely to suffer from fractures (AOR 2.37; 95% CI 1.26–4.43), concussions and organ system injuries (AOR 3.58; 95% CI 1.03–12.39) and cuts, bites or open wounds (AOR 2.05; 95% CI 1.21–3.48). Older children were less likely to suffer burns or scalds as compared to the young children (AOR: 0.23; 95% CI 0.11–0.50). Unintentional injury incidence rate was high among children with most occurring in the homes.

KEYWORDS:

• Incidence
• slum
• unintentional
• injury
• children
• Uganda

Acknowledgments

We thank study respondents and local leaders of Kasubi parish for their cooperation and valuable time that enabled us to collect this data. We also thank the research assistants for collecting this data diligently. Finally, special thanks go to the TRAID administrator Grace Magambo for her support and coordinator of this grant.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported from the Fogarty International Center of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (Chronic Consequences of Trauma, Injuries, Disability Across the Lifespan: Uganda) [grant number D43TW009284].

Notes on contributors

Charles Ssemugabo

Charles Ssemugabo is a research associate in the Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health at Makerere University School of Public Health. He holds a Bachelors degree in Environmental Health Science from Makerere University and a Masters in Public Health - Health Promotion from Uganda Martyrs University.

Trasias Mukama

Trasias Mukama is a research associate at Makerere University School of Public Health. He holds a Bachelor of Environmental Health Sciences from Makerere University, Uganda and a Masters of Public Health from University of Nottingham, UK and is a doctoral candidate in Epidemiology and Public Health at University of Heidelberg, Germany.

Abdullah Ali Halage

Abdullah Ali Halage is a lecturer and programme coordinator for Bachelor of Environmental Health Sciences in the Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Health Science (Makerere University) and a Masters in Public Health (Makerere University).

Nino Paichadze

Nino Paichadze is an assistant scientist in the Department of International Health, Health Systems program at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a core faculty at the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit (JH-IIRU). As a medical doctor by training, Dr. Paichadze holds a Master of Public Health degree from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she also completed her postdoctoral fellowship. Her research focuses on injury prevention, monitoring and evaluation of road safety interventions and research capacity strengthening in developing countries. She is interested in defining the burden of injuries and non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income settings and improving data systems/surveillance on NCDs and injuries using digital health approaches.

Dustin G. Gibson

Dustin G. Gibson is an epidemiologist by training and currently an assistant scientist within the Health Systems Program of the International Health Department at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He has extensive experience in the development and evaluation of mHealth technologies to strengthen and improve health systems in lower income countries.

Olive Kobusingye

Olive Kobusingye is an Accident & Emergency surgeon and injury epidemiologist. She is a senior research fellow at both Makerere University School of Public Health and the Institute for Social and Health Sciences of the University of South Africa. She heads the Trauma, Injury, & Disability (TRIAD) Project at Makerere University School of Public Health, where she coordinates the TRIAD graduate courses. Before joining Makerere University School of Public Health Olive worked as Regional Advisor on Violence, Injuries, and Disabilities at the World Health Organization's regional office for Africa (AFRO). Previous appointments and experience include: lecturer, Department of Surgery, Makerere University, Accident & Emergency Surgeon, Mulago Hospital (the largest referral hospital in Uganda), founding Executive Director of the Injury Control Center-Uganda, and founding Secretary General of the Injury Prevention Initiative for Africa.