Patterns and determinants of unintentional injuries among children in machakos level 5 hospital

Abstract

Injuries are among the leading cause of death and disability among children worldwide. Approximately 875,000 children die every year as a result of injuries and violence. The definition of a child according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child is someone under the age of 18 years. WHO identifies burns, falls, Road Traffic Injuries (RTIs), poisoning and drowning as the major causes of injuries in childrenalthough unintentional injuries are recognized as a major public health problem globally.Little is known about their patterns and rates at the community level in most low-income countries. Rapid social development, leading to increased traffic and industrialization, may be changing patterns of injury. Injuries within the home environment have not so far been recognized to the same extent as traffic and work-related injuries in Kenya, largely because they have not been effectively counted. The main purpose of the study is to investigate the patterns and determinants of unintentional injuries among the children in Kenya, with specific reference to inpatients of Machakos Level 5 Hospital.Purposive sampling technique will be employed to target children with unintentional injuries admitted in the Machakos Level 5 hospital. Data will be collected using questionnaires and interviews. Data will be analyzed descriptively. The findings will be presented using tables and charts, percentages, tabulations, means and other measures of central tendencies.