The Hidden Danger of Unintentional Child Injuries in an Urban Domestic Environment: Considering Unintentional Injuries from Another Angle

Ping Tang, Qin Fan, Jingmin Sun, Jianlin Ji, Liling Yang, Wenjuan Tang () and Qunfeng Lu ()
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Ping Tang: Nursing Department of Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Children’s Hospital, Shanghai 200062, China
Qin Fan: General Surgery Department of Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Children’s Hospital, Shanghai 200062, China
Jingmin Sun: Outpatient Department/Emergency Department of Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Children’s Hospital, Shanghai 200062, China
Jianlin Ji: School of Nursing, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200025, China
Liling Yang: Nursing Department of the Sixth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, China
Wenjuan Tang: Nursing Department of Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Children’s Hospital, Shanghai 200062, China
Qunfeng Lu: Nursing Department of the Sixth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, China

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 7, 1-13

Abstract: Background: Unintentional injuries are the primary cause of death and disability among children. This study aimed to examine the current status of home environments for children aged 0–6 years in the Shanghai area of China and assess the factors that pose safety hazards for unintentional injuries within households. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out in Shanghai between November 2021 and October 2023. Results: Parents from 1825 families, with 929 (50.90%) boys and 896 (49.10%) girls, participated in this research. In all, 752 children (41.21%) experienced unintentional injuries. The home environment posed a high risk of unintentional injuries in 1008 families (55.23%), medium risk in 381 families (20.88%), and low risk in 436 families (23.89%). The results showed a negative correlation between the occurrence of unintentional injuries and the status of the family environment; children in families with high-risk home environments were more likely to experience unintentional injuries (odds ratio [OR] = 1.490, confidence interval [CI] = 1.216–1.826), fall injuries (OR = 1.605, CI = 1.268–2.031), and external injuries (OR = 1.578, CI = 1.159–2.148). Conclusions: Parents should enhance their safety awareness by focusing on potential hazards at home and taking appropriate measures to improve the home environment, thereby creating a safe and comfortable setting for the healthy growth of their children.

Keywords: unintentional injury; children; home environment; safety hazards; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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