RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Is perceived failure in school performance a trigger of physical injury? A case-crossover study of children in Stockholm County
JF Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
JO J Epidemiol Community Health
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 407
OP 411
DO 10.1136/jech.2003.009852
VO 58
IS 5
A1 L Laflamme
A1 K Engström
A1 J Möller
A1 J Hallqvist
YR 2004
UL http://jech.bmj.com/content/58/5/407.abstract
AB Objectives: To investigate whether perceived failure in school performance increases the potential for children to be physically injured. Subjects: Children aged 10–15 years residing in the Stockholm County and hospitalised or called back for a medical check up because of a physical injury during the school years 2000–2001 and 2001–2002 (n = 592). Methods: A case-crossover design was used and information on potential injury triggers was gathered by interview. Information about family socioeconomic circumstances was gathered by a questionnaire filled in by parents during the child interview (response rate 87%). Results: Perceived failure in school performance has the potential to trigger injury within up to 10 hours subsequent to exposure (relative risk = 2.70; 95% confidence intervals = 1.2 to 5.8). The risk is significantly higher among pre-adolescents and among children from families at a higher education level. Conclusions: Experiencing feelings of failure may affect children’s physical safety, in particular among pre-adolescents. Possible mechanisms are perceptual deficits and response changes occasioned by the stress experienced after exposure.