IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v16y2019i3p403-d202253.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Left-Behind Children and Risk of Unintentional Injury in Rural China—A Cross-Sectional Survey

Author

Listed:
  • Sha Ma

    (The Institute of Social and Family Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 866 Yuhangtang Lu, Hangzhou 310012, China)

  • Minmin Jiang

    (The Institute of Social and Family Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 866 Yuhangtang Lu, Hangzhou 310012, China)

  • Feng Wang

    (The Institute of Social and Family Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 866 Yuhangtang Lu, Hangzhou 310012, China)

  • Jingjing Lu

    (The Institute of Social and Family Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 866 Yuhangtang Lu, Hangzhou 310012, China)

  • Lu Li

    (The Institute of Social and Family Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 866 Yuhangtang Lu, Hangzhou 310012, China)

  • Therese Hesketh

    (The Centre for Global Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 866 Yuhangtang Lu, Hangzhou 310012, China
    The UCL Institute for Global Health, 30 Guilford St, London WC1N1EH, UK)

Abstract

Unintentional injury is the leading cause of childhood death and disability in many countries worldwide. This study aimed to quantify rates and risk factors for childhood unintentional injury in areas of rural China, where many children are left behind by migrant worker parents. We administered a questionnaire to children aged 9 to 15, in 56 schools in five counties in Zhejiang and Guizhou provinces. Of the 3791 respondents, 44% lived with both parents, 23% with one parent, and 33% with neither. Around half the children (47.9%) had suffered at least one unintentional injury in the past year, with burns (26%), animal bites (20%) and mechanical injury (18%) the most common. Left-behind children had no increased risk of unintentional injury, but children living in poorer Guizhou ( p = 0.001), of divorced parents ( p = 0.02), and less well-educated mothers ( p = 0.02) were associated with higher risk. Virtual absence of personal level risk factors highlights the importance of addressing environmental risk to reduce childhood injury. The findings have informed a community-based intervention to reduce injury risk through raising awareness of environmental hazards, and through removal of specific hazards. Importantly, the Chinese government should ensure that known effective interventions are subject to legislation and enforcement.

Suggested Citation

  • Sha Ma & Minmin Jiang & Feng Wang & Jingjing Lu & Lu Li & Therese Hesketh, 2019. "Left-Behind Children and Risk of Unintentional Injury in Rural China—A Cross-Sectional Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-9, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:3:p:403-:d:202253
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/3/403/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/3/403/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yafei Tan & Di Ma & Ying Chen & Fuyuan Cheng & Xiangxiang Liu & Liping Li, 2015. "Relationships between Sleep Behaviors and Unintentional Injury in Southern Chinese School-Aged Children: A Population-Based Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-17, October.
    2. Reading, Richard & Langford, Ian H. & Haynes, Robin & Lovett, Andrew, 1999. "Accidents to preschool children: comparing family and neighbourhood risk factors," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 48(3), pages 321-329, February.
    3. John Bryant, 2005. "Children of International Migrants in Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines: A review of evidence and policies," Papers inwopa05/32, Innocenti Working Papers.
    4. Bo-Ling Cao & Xiu-Quan Shi & Yong-Hong Qi & Ya Hui & Hua-Jun Yang & Shang-Peng Shi & Li-Rong Luo & Hong Zhang & Xin Wang & Ying-Ping Yang, 2015. "Effect of a Multi-Level Education Intervention Model on Knowledge and Attitudes of Accidental Injuries in Rural Children in Zunyi, Southwest China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-12, April.
    5. Kendrick, Denise & Mulvaney, Caroline & Burton, Paul & Watson, Michael, 2005. "Relationships between child, family and neighbourhood characteristics and childhood injury: A cohort study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(9), pages 1905-1915, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jing Luo & Jiaojiao Zou & Meimei Ji & Tong Yuan & Mei Sun & Qian Lin, 2019. "Emotional and Behavioral Problems Among 3- to 5-Year-Olds Left-Behind Children in Poor Rural Areas of Hunan Province: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-12, October.
    2. Hao, Jun & Hsueh, Yeh & Kitzmann, Katherine, 2023. "An exploratory study of salient family risk factors in relation to preschoolers’ unintentional injury in northwest China," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    3. Yue Tang & Li Zhu & Jiang Li & Ni Zhang & Yilin Sun & Xiaokang Wang & Honglin Wu, 2023. "Assessment of Perceived Factors of Road Safety in Rural Left-Behind Children’s Independent Travel: A Case Study in Changsha, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-23, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Reading, Richard & Jones, Andrew & Haynes, Robin & Daras, Konstantinos & Emond, Alan, 2008. "Individual factors explain neighbourhood variations in accidents to children under 5 years of age," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(6), pages 915-927, September.
    2. Elizabeth Orton & Denise Kendrick & Joe West & Laila J Tata, 2012. "Independent Risk Factors for Injury in Pre-School Children: Three Population-Based Nested Case-Control Studies Using Routine Primary Care Data," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(4), pages 1-8, April.
    3. Blaabæk, Ea Hoppe & Andersen, Lars Højsgaard & Fallesen, Peter, 2024. "From unequal injuries to unequal learning? Socioeconomic gradients in childhood concussions and the impact on children's academic performance," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 341(C).
    4. Kendrick, Denise & Mulvaney, Caroline & Burton, Paul & Watson, Michael, 2005. "Relationships between child, family and neighbourhood characteristics and childhood injury: A cohort study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(9), pages 1905-1915, November.
    5. Wang Sophie Xuefei, 2014. "The Effect of Parental Migration on the Educational Attainment of Their Left-Behind Children in Rural China," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 14(3), pages 1037-1080, July.
    6. Yafei Tan & Ying Chen & Yaogui Lu & Liping Li, 2016. "Exploring Associations between Problematic Internet Use, Depressive Symptoms and Sleep Disturbance among Southern Chinese Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-12, March.
    7. Cox, Amanda & Morrongiello, Barbara A. & Bryant, Lindsay, 2021. "A longitudinal study of parents' expectations about infants’ emerging behaviors and their safety strategies to moderate injury risk," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 291(C).
    8. Isabel Ortiz & Matthew Cummins, 2012. "L’Inégalité Mondiale: La Répartition des Revenus dans 141 Pays," Working papers 1103, UNICEF,Division of Policy and Strategy.
    9. Ying Chen & Yang Gao & Li Zhou & Yafei Tan & Liping Li, 2016. "A Comparative Study of Dog- and Cat-Induced Injury on Incidence and Risk Factors among Children," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-11, November.
    10. Lu, Jingjing & Lin, Leesa & Roy, Brita & Riley, Carley & Wang, Emily & Wang, Karen & Li, Lu & Wang, Feng & Zhou, Xudong, 2020. "The impacts of parent-child communication on left-behind children’s mental health and suicidal ideation: A cross sectional study in Anhui," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    11. Titiporn Tuangratananon & Rapeepong Suphanchaimat & Sataporn Julchoo & Pigunkaew Sinam & Weerasak Putthasri, 2019. "Education Policy for Migrant Children in Thailand and How It Really Happens; A Case Study of Ranong Province, Thailand," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-16, February.
    12. Antti O. Tanskanen & Mirkka Danielsbacka, 2017. "Association Between Grandparental Co-Residence and Early Childhood Injury in the UK," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 10(3), pages 825-837, September.
    13. repec:pri:cepsud:107kling is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Mark E. Votruba & Jeffrey R. Kling, 2004. "Effects of Neighborhood Characteristics on the Mortality of Black Male Youth: Evidence From Gautreaux," Working Papers 870, Princeton University, Department of Economics, Industrial Relations Section..
    15. Francesca Marchetta, 2012. "The Impact of Migration on the Labor Markets in the Arab Mediterranean Countries," Middle East Development Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 4(1), pages 1230001-121, January.
    16. Luo, Xiaoman, 2020. "How Does Parental Out-migration Affect Left-behind Children’s Schooling Outcomes? – Effect Sizes and Mechanisms," 2020 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, Kansas City, Missouri 304495, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    17. Leonardo Menchini & Gerry Redmond, 2006. "Child Consumption Poverty in South-Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States," Papers inwopa06/36, Innocenti Working Papers.
    18. Kumar, Sneha, 2021. "Offspring's labor migration and its implications for elderly parents' emotional wellbeing in Indonesia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 276(C).
    19. Galiani, Sebastian & Schargrodsky, Ernesto, 2004. "Effects of land titling on child health," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 2(3), pages 353-372, December.
    20. Robert Holzmann & Jacques Wels, 2020. "The cross‐border portability of social security benefits: Status and progress?," International Social Security Review, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 73(1), pages 65-97, January.
    21. Mark E. Votruba & Jeffrey R. Kling, 2005. "Effects of Neighborhood Characteristics on the Mortality of Black Male Youth: Evidence From Gautreaux," Working Papers 95, Princeton University, Department of Economics, Center for Economic Policy Studies..

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:3:p:403-:d:202253. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.