New research puts accidental trauma on the agenda at 4th Arab Children Health Congress

This year the DHA is working with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the Arab League and others, to highlight the importance and significance of the strategies and programmes aimed at specific areas of child health. The 4th Arab Children Health Congress (ACHC), which will take place 20 - 22 April 2009 in Dubai, will focus on 'Accidents, Injuries and Trauma'.

The perceptions, concerns and causes of accidents and injuries among children is discussed in research released today. The research provided by YouGov, the market research company, to support the Dubai Health Authority's ACHC, found that 42% of respondents knew of children who had suffered from accidents or injuries occurring at home, school or on the roads in the UAE.

However, significantly, 15% didn't talk to children - their own or those that they knew - about ways to prevent accidents. The findings highlight the need for greater awareness and education on this issue, which will be addressed at the Congress.

Additional key findings were:
• 9% of all respondents' children had suffered from accidents or injuries occurring at home, school or on the roads in the UAE. Of Emirati respondents, 20% had children who had suffered in this way

• 61% of Emiratis and 38% of Arab expats knew children who had suffered from accidents or injuries occurring at home, school or on the roads in the UAE.

• 74% of all respondents worry about their children or children they know being affected by accidental trauma. This rose to 82% in Emiratis and 87% in Arab expats.

• 24% of Emiratis and 17% of Arab expats either didn't, or didn't know, if they talked to their children or children they knew about ways to prevent accidents.

• The common causes of accidental trauma for children were thought to be:
- Road traffic accidents 70%
- Drowning accidents 20%
- Burn 23%
- Fall 50%
- Poisoning 15%
- Other 6% - responses.

included: 'carelessness & lack of education on safety', 'choking' and 'carelessness of the parent or guardian'.

Further research from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF estimates that nearly one million children under the age of 18 years die as a result of an unintentional injury1. Tens of millions more children are non-fatally injured and many of these require hospital treatment.

For survivors, the impairment that injuries can cause and the resulting need for care and rehabilitation have far-reaching impacts on a child's prospects for health, education and social inclusion and on their parents' livelihood.

Her Excellency Senator Dr. Rowaida Al Maaitah, Head of Scientific Committee for ACHC said, "Every day around the world the lives of more than 2,000 families are torn apart by the loss of a child to an unintentional injury - due to a road traffic crash, a drowning, burn, fall or poisoning - most of which could be prevented. Our own research emphasizes the unsurprising, but significant prevalence of such accidents in this region, and also draws attention to the urgent need for increased education here."

"By addressing these issues at this year's Arab Children Health Congress, we aim to encourage better understanding of the causes of different accidents occurring in a variety of common settings, and educate on how these accidents can be minimized," she added.

Now in its fourth year, the Arab Children Health Congress is committed to raising awareness around these issues of accidental injuries and trauma, and the adverse effects such conditions have on not only children's lives, but also their families.