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Session 2Session 2

Putting Home Safety in Putting Home Safety in ContextContext

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Death and Injury StatisticsDeath and Injury Statistics

Accidents are a major cause of death

and injury in the UK

Each year on average…

•13,000 people die

•500,000 people are admitted to hospital

•7 million people attend A & E

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Accidental DeathsAccidental Deaths (UK 2002) (UK 2002)

Total Deaths = 12,367 estimated

Other 34%

Home 32%

Road 29%

Work 3%

Source: Office of National Statistics, Registrar’s General Scotland and Northern Ireland 2002

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It’ll Never Happen To Me…It’ll Never Happen To Me…

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The Child Health PictureThe Child Health Picture

1 – 4 years

5-14 years

Death rate per million population

8040

How do injuries compare to other child health problems ?

10 20 30 50 60 70

Injuries

Cancer

Diseases of Nervous System

Injuries

Congenital Abnormalities

Diseases of the Nervous System

Source: ONS 1997

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The Scale Of The ProblemThe Scale Of The Problem

During 2002:

• Its estimated that over 320 children under the age of 15 died as the result of an accident

• Over 2 million children attended A&Eas a result of accidents – about half of these happen in the home.

Source: Child Accident Prevention Trust

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Home Accidents to ChildrenHome Accidents to Children

Facts:

• 42% of all accidents involve falls of some kind (9 deaths)

• 72% of burn and scald injuries to children happen to the under 5s

• Accidents involving glass have increases over recent years

• Around 27,000 receive hospital treatment as a result of poisoning

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Home Accidents to Children Home Accidents to Children by Injury – UK 2002by Injury – UK 2002

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

Superficial

Open w

ound

BurnBruise

Concussion

Soft tissue

BoneTendon/joint

0-4

5-14

Source: Home Accident Surveillance System 2002

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Suspected Poisonings Suspected Poisonings Involving Household ItemsInvolving Household Items

National Estimate 33,272 UK 2002

Source: Home Accident Surveillance System 2002

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Location Of AccidentsLocation Of AccidentsAge 0-4 – UK 2002Age 0-4 – UK 2002

Kitchen Utility 9%

Living room/Dining room 23%

Bathroom 3%

Bedroom 12%Stairs inside 7%

Hall/Lobby 3%

Garden 8%

Patio/terrace 4%

Unspecified/indoors 13%Unspecified outdoors 12%

Source: Home Accident Surveillance System 2002

Other 6%

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Location Of AccidentsLocation Of AccidentsAge 0-14 – UK 2002Age 0-14 – UK 2002

020,00040,00060,00080,000

100,000120,000140,000160,000180,000

0-4

5-15

All

Source: Home Accident Surveillance System 2002

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Where Do Accidents Happen?Where Do Accidents Happen?

• The most serious happen in the kitchen and on the stairs

• The largest number of accidents happen in the living room

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When Do Accidents Happen ?When Do Accidents Happen ?

• The most common time of day for accidents to occur is in the evening between 6.00 and 7.00pm

• More accidents happen on a Sunday than any other day of the week

• More accidents happen in the summer with a peak in July

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Causes of AccidentsCauses of Accidents

Behavioural• Lapses of

attention• Mistaken actions• Attitude• Immaturity• Immobility

Environmental•Design•Product safety•Layout of room

Social factors•Inequalities•Culture•Isolation/loneliness

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Why Do Children Have Why Do Children Have Accidents?Accidents?

Small stature

Inquisitiveness

Bravado and horse play

Stress

Inexperience

Inadequate supervision

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The Cost Of AccidentsThe Cost Of Accidents

The annual treatment costs of accidents is estimated at :

£2.2 billion

(7% of NHS expenditure)

£200 million – child accidents

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Who Is At Risk ?Who Is At Risk ?• On average one child in twelve will

be treated for a home accident, each year

• Half of those treated will be under four

• Boys are more likely to have an accident than girls

• Children are more likely to revisit A&E following another accident

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InterventionsInterventions• Education

• Environment

• Engineering

• Enforcement

• Empowerment

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PreventionPrevention

• Primary– Preventing the accident from happening.

• Secondary– Reducing the risk of severity of injury once the

event has occurred.

• Tertiary– Minimising the consequences of an injury

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PreventionPrevention

• Active–Safety achieved by a deliberate

action

• Passive–Prevention provided without the

need for repeated human actions.

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PreventionPrevention

Active• Putting hot and cold

water in the bath separately

• Putting medicines out of reach of children

• Use rear hotplates on cooker and turn handles away from front

Passive• Fitting a thermostatic

mixing valve to hot water

• Supplying medicines in a Child-resistant containers

• Building houses with mains-powered smoke Alarms

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A Final Thought…A Final Thought…

Accidental injury is the biggest singlecause of death in UK children

3 children die in accidents every day

Accidents result in 10,000 childrenbeing permanently disabled each year

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A Happy Ending…A Happy Ending…