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Abstract
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Three areas of research were listed by many at the National Childhood Injury Symposium:
1. Epidemiologic study of injury circumstances, relating these to cause and prevention: (a) Demographic data on social class, incidence data, sex-age related to injury, to determine those who are at greatest risk from what methods of trauma. More uniform methods of classification, reporting, and participation are urged; (b) specific study of children and their development, the human environment that failed them and permitted injury, i.e., risk-taking behavior, impulse control of both children and adults. (c) Environmental hazards and why specific individuals or groups were singled out and injured by them. (d) Multivariant cluster analysis to determine circumstances of causation and natural history of injury, particularly by each method of injury. (e) Traditional incidence data, from health departments, physicians, hospitals, National Health Survey, and others, on continuing basis to determine nature of the problem.
2. Operational research: assessment of existing programs' effectiveness, and ongoing tests of programs as they are developed, e.g., do laws passed actually alter the childhood injury problem, and do codes, statutes, campaigns do anything? What is being taught in schools and colleges, and to what effect?
3. Research into underlying factors not directly concerned with the above, hut relevant to injuries: development of perception, risk-taking, attitude study, etc. A need was felt by many to periodically assess child safety research and communicate this to those in a position to use it most effectively.
Language: en |