Risk profile of unintentional injuries among children and adolescents at elementary and high schools, respectively, in Shenzhen, China

BACKGROUND: Children and adolescents are at an increased risk of unintentional injuries, indicating the importance of recognising the characteristics of high-risk groups. This study aimed to identify the risk profile of unintentional injuries among children and adolescents at elementary and high schools, respectively. METHODS: A multistage cluster sampling method was used to select the participants. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify the risk profile of unintentional injuries among children and adolescents at elementary and high schools, respectively. RESULTS: For elementary school students, those with higher age (OR: 1.20, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.30) were at an increased risk, while girls (OR: 0.60, 95% CI 0.44 to 0.81), and those accommodated at home (OR: 0.59, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.91), with high educational level for guardians (OR: 0.47, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.71), and with guardian passive (OR: 0.55, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.97) or both sides initiative (OR: 0.43, 95% CI 0.27 to 0.68) communication attitude were at a decreased risk of unintentional injuries. Additionally, for high school students, those accommodated at home (OR: 3.08, 95% CI 1.71 to 5.54) were at an increased risk, while girls (OR: 0.43, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.78), and either father or mother working outside (OR: 0.26, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.83) were at a decreased risk of unintentional injuries. CONCLUSIONS: The risk profile of unintentional injuries among children and adolescents at elementary schools differed from that among children and adolescents at high schools in Shenzhen, China, suggesting that different intervention strategies should be implemented to children and adolescents with different educational levels.