Boys injured more than girls at Queensland schools

Release date: 26/03/2008

According to a recent study conducted by the Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit (QISU), school is a common setting for injury and boys are most at risk.

The study indicates that up to 20% of all injuries in children aged five to 13 years occur in a school setting.

“Children spend a large percentage of their waking hours at school and many school communities have attempted to reduce the number and severity of injuries occurring at school through a variety of measures,” Mater Children’s Hospital Emergency Paediatrician Dr Ruth Barker said.

“Even so, a significant proportion of all injuries in Queensland children aged five to 13 years occurs in a school setting, with adolescent boys injured twice as often at school as girls.”

Despite the range of sporting activities pursued by children in this age bracket, the majority of injuries occur in times of informal play and are associated with stumbling on surfaces, running into objects and running into or being struck by other people or moving objects.

“It would seem that increasingly boisterous play by adolescent males contributes significantly to the injury pattern that we have seen,” Dr Barker said.

“Younger children, under the age of eight years, are more likely to be injured on play equipment (monkey bars, climbing frames etc),” she said.

The QISU study Injury in Primary School Children analysed data from 16 496 Queensland children aged five to 13 years who were injured at school from 1999 to 2006.

The research found:

• Playground equipment (monkey bars, climbing frames etc) accounted for 11% of all injuries but 20% of serious injuries.
• Two-thirds of serious injuries were related to falls with 25% having fallen greater than one metre.
• Road injuries accounted for only three percent of injuries, but included three deaths.
• Assault and bullying represented only three percent of all school injuries, but 80% occurred in males.

“This research is intended as a blueprint for schools to look at the injuries that are occurring and tackle both known danger areas and potential problems,” Dr Barker said.

“Most injuries in schools can be addressed by considering the public health model of engineering, education and enforcement. This involves simple measures from safety audits of the school building, grounds and surrounds to the development of school policy on safe supervision and managing bullying.

“While most schools already have such policies in place, it is important they are regularly and consistently reinforced among school staff and to parents and students in order to develop a sustainable safety culture within the school.

“Safe schools is based on the WHO Safe Communities programme and gives participating schools a framework for analysing and addressing school safety,” she said.

For more information go to www.safeschoolsciap.org

QISU collects and analyses data from participating emergency department injury presentations on behalf of Queensland Health. QISU publications and data are available on request for research, prevention and education activities.

QISU is funded by Queensland Health with the support of Mater Health Services Brisbane.

*QISU data is based on emergency department presentations to the following fourteen hospitals: Mater Children’s Hospital, Mater Adult Hospital, Mater Private Emergency Care Centre, Mareeba Hospital, Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, Redland Hospital, Logan Hospital, Royal Children’s Hospital, Mt Isa Hospital, Mackay Base Hospital, Proserpine Hospital, Sarina Hospital, Clermont Hospital, Dysart Hospital and Moranbah Hospital.