Table 7 Epidemiological studies from Europe – childhood and teen injuries

Brudvik., 2000 [76]

descriptive study/Haukeland University Discharge Register

children<16y/227250

Bergen

Norway

hospitalization and A&E

proportions by gender, body region, cause, circumstances of injury; rates by age, cause

1998 Annual injury incidence 9% preschool children/13% school children

head injury (51%) in preschool children

upper extremity injury (46%) in school children

63% of injuries occurs outdoors

No information on severity;

1 year study and one geographical region only

Mattila et al., 2005 [69]

descriptive study/Finnish Official Cause of Death Statistics

adolescents (10–19y)/0.8 million (1971) -

0.6 million (2002)

Finland

deaths

proportions and rates by age, gender, year, trends of mortality rates

1971–2002 decline in death rates from 43.0 to 19.9 per 100,000; decline in RTC; no changes in intentional deaths

Data on deaths only

Parkkari et al., 2000 [71]

descriptive study/Finnish Official Cause of Death Statistics; National Hospital Discharge Register

children

(0–14y)/1.1 million (1971) -

0.9 million (1995)

Finland

deaths, hospitalization

rates and proportions by age, gender, cause type, year; trends of incidence and mortality rates

1971–1995 decline of incidence fatal injury rates (per 100,000): 20.1 to 4.6 (girls)/36.7 to 9.3 (boys); 1995 causes of deaths: 41% RTC, 24% intentional injuries, 12% drowning; little change non-fatal injuries rates

No information on severity; serious injuries defined by those requiring hospitalisation

Stefansdottir & Mogensen, 1997 [70]

descriptive (retrospective) study/Reykjavik City Hospital data

children

(0–14y)/20756

Reykjavik, Iceland

deaths, hospitalization and A&E

proportions by age; rates by age, gender and trends of incidence rates

1974–1991

Total incidence rate 760 per 100,000/year

1987–1991

Mortality rate 6.5 per 100,000/year

No information on severity; one geographical region only

van der Voorde et al., 2008

[72]

descriptive study/PaEdiatric Network around Trauma

children

(0–17y)/1.2 million

Flanders, Belgium

deaths,

hospitalization and A&E

proportions by age, gender, cause, severity (ISS), type, body region, location and injury circumstances, process of care (e.g., waiting time); rates by cause

2005

11900/100,000 all A&E injury rate;

1150/100,000 A&E traffic accidents rate

84.3% blunt injuries,

40.6% home injuries, 53.8% sport injuries

37.3% of all injuries have ISS>8

No population based rates of major trauma (ISS>15), 'severe trauma' defined by length of hospital stay>48 hours, including all non-survivors, 1 year study, and one geographical region only; analysis based on 21.9% sample