BMJ  2006;333:119 (15 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.38875.757488.4F (published 7 July 2006)

Research

Deaths from injury in children and employment status in family: analysis of trends in class specific death rates

¹ Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, ² Department of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, ³ Camden Primary Care Trust, St Pancras Hospital, London NW1 0PE

Abstract

Objective To examine socioeconomic inequalities in rates of death from injury in children in England and Wales.

Design Analysis of rates of death from injury in children by the eight class version of the National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification (NS-SEC) and by the registrar general's social classification.

Setting England and Wales during periods of four years around the 1981, 1991, and 2001 censuses.

Subjects Children aged 0-15 years.

Main outcome measures Death rates from injury and poisoning.

Results Rates of death from injury in children fell from 11.1 deaths (95% confidence interval 10.8 to 11.5 deaths) per 100 000 children per year around the 1981 census to 4.0 deaths (3.8 to 4.2 deaths) per 100 000 children per year around the 2001 census. Socioeconomic inequalities remain: the death rate from all external causes for children of parents classified as never having worked or as long term unemployed (NS-SEC 8) was 13.1 (10.3 to 16.5) times that for children in NS-SEC 1(higher managerial/professional occupations). For deaths as pedestrians the rate in NS-SEC 8 was 20.6 (10.6 to 39.9) times higher than in NS-SEC 1; for deaths as cyclists it was 27.5 (6.4 to 118.2) times higher; for deaths due to fires it was 37.7 (11.6 to 121.9) times higher; and for deaths of undetermined intent it was 32.6 (15.8 to 67.2) times higher.

Conclusions Overall rates of death from injury and poisoning in children have fallen in England and Wales over the past 20 years, except for rates in children in families in which no adult is in paid employment. Serious inequalities in injury death rates remain, particularly for pedestrians, cyclists, house fires, and deaths of undetermined intent.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Articles

Preventing injury in childhood

Graham Kirkwood and Allyson Pollock
BMJ 2008 336: 1388-1389. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

The economics of tackling climate change

Ian Roberts
BMJ 2008 336: 165-166. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Poor children are more likely to die from injury
BMJ 2006 333: 0. [Full Text]

Influence of changing travel patterns on child death rates from injury: trend analysis

Carolyn DiGuiseppi, Ian Roberts, and Leah Li
BMJ 1997 314: 710. [Abstract] [Full Text]

Does the decline in child injury mortality vary by social class? A comparison of class specific mortality in 1981 and 1991

Ian Roberts and Chris Power
BMJ 1996 313: 784-786. [Abstract] [Full Text]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Kirkwood, G., Pollock, A. (2008). Preventing injury in childhood. BMJ 336: 1388-1389 [Full text]  
• Edwards, P, Green, J, Lachowycz, K, Grundy, C, Roberts, I (2008). Serious injuries in children: variation by area deprivation and settlement type. Arch. Dis. Child. 93: 485-489 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Lyons, R A, Towner, E, Christie, N, Kendrick, D, Jones, S J, Hayes, M, Kimberlee, R, Sarvotham, T, Macey, S, Brussoni, M, Sleney, J, Coupland, C, Phillips, C (2008). The Advocacy in Action Study a cluster randomized controlled trial to reduce pedestrian injuries in deprived communities. Inj. Prev. 14: e1-e1 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Roberts, I. (2008). The economics of tackling climate change. BMJ 336: 165-166 [Full text]  
• Sethi, D., Racioppi, F., Bertollini, R. (2007). Preventing the leading cause of death in young people in Europe. J. Epidemiol. Community Health 61: 842-843 [Full text]  
• Singh, G. K., Kogan, M. D. (2007). Widening Socioeconomic Disparities in US Childhood Mortality, 1969 2000. Am. J. Public Health 97: 1658-1665 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Petridou, E. Th., Kyllekidis, S., Jeffrey, S., Chishti, P., Dessypris, N., Stone, D. H. (2007). Unintentional injury mortality in the European Union: How many more lives could be saved?. Scand J Public Health 35: 278-287 [Abstract]  
• (2007). Lucina. Arch. Dis. Child. 92: 94-94 [Full text]  
• Ameratunga, S., Jackson, R., Norton, R. (2006). Death and injury on roads. BMJ 333: 53-54 [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Data matches observation in developing countries

Rajan TD
bmj.com, 9 Jul 2006 [Full text]

What does this mean for practice?

Jean Pigott
bmj.com, 10 Jul 2006 [Full text]

Understanding inequalities in injury deaths

James P. Scanlan
bmj.com, 19 Jul 2006 [Full text]