Non-fatal injury in Korean children and adolescents from 2007 to 2018.

Background Injury is the leading cause of death or disability in children and adolescents. Deaths from injuries have recently declined, but studies on the occurrence of non-fatal injuries are lacking. Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the experience of non-fatal injury in children and adolescents younger than 20 years based on Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey data from 2007 to 2018. Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted on whether children and adolescents had experienced an injury requiring a hospital visit in the past year. We investigated the risk factors of the injury experience and the characteristics of the injury. Results Of a total of 21,598 children and adolescents, 1,748 experienced one or more injuries in the previous year, and the weighted percentage was 8.1%. There was no difference by year in proportion of injuries experienced. In male subjects, 10.0% had injury experience; in female participants, 6.1% had injury experience (P < 0.001). The highest rate was 9.0% in children aged 1-4 years. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, being male; having an urban residence; having restricted activity due to visual impairment, hearing impairment, or developmental impairment; and having a diagnosis of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder were identified as significant risk factors for injury experience. The characteristics of up to 3 injuries per patient were investigated, and a total of 1,951 injuries was analyzed. Falls and slips accounted for 34.9%, collisions accounted for 34.1%, and motor vehicle accidents accounted for 11.3% of total injuries. Ninety-six percent of injuries were unintentional, 20% of injuries caused absence from school, and 10% of injuries required hospitalization. Conclusion Among Korean children and adolescents, 8.1% experienced injuries at least once a year, with no significant differences in incidence over the past 12 years. More attention and efforts to prevent injury are needed.