Objective: To assess the relationship between demographic, socioeconomic, family type and behavioural factors and childhood major and minor head and other injuries.
Design, subjects and setting: A cross-sectional study, on a large nationally representative sample of 5913 children aged 4-15 years (Health Survey for England, 1997).
Main outcome measures: Frequency of major and minor head and other injuries.
Results: There were no significant associations between any of the socioeconomic factors and family type and major and minor injuries, except for major head injuries in children who lived in families receiving more than one social or financial benefit. Boys were 1.5 times more likely to suffer major head and other injuries than girls. Older children were significantly more likely to experience major and minor other injuries, but less likely to have major and minor head injuries, compared to younger children. High scores for conduct disorder and emotional symptoms were significant risk factors for other major injuries, while high scores for hyperactivity and conduct disorder were significantly related to major and minor head injuries. The risk factors assessed were often stronger for major than for minor injuries, and stronger for head than other injuries.
Conclusion: Boys and children who exhibit certain behavioural problems such as high levels of hyperactivity were significantly more likely to report major and minor injuries affecting the head region.