English summaries
A web-based tool for injury registration at schools – Data on injuries occurring among primary school pupils in Kouvola, Finland, during five semesters
Julkaistu 08.06.2012 00.01
Background
Knowledge about school injuries is scarce in Finland. Increasing public attention is paid to bullying and violence occurring at schools. According to school legislation pupils have the right to a safe school environment. Thus, injury prevention is required at schools. Systematic injury follow-up at schools is insufficient.
Methods
A web-based software for recording and reporting injury data was created at the Kouvola Centre for Injury and Violence Prevention (Start) with the aim of using the data for injury prevention. Details of unintentional and intentional injuries and data on injury related factors are recorded by the school staff. All the recorded injury data can be viewed in real-time as graphs and figures. The data on injuries occurring among primary school pupils during five semesters are presented.
Results
A total of 588 injuries occurred, 55% of them in boys and 69% sustained outdoors. Every tenth injury was caused intentionally by another pupil, the figures being three times higher in boys than in girls. The injured pupil was most often a 10-year-old boy who fell during recess and sustained a superficial head injury or a 10- to 11-year-old girl who injured a lower extremity in similar circumstances. Of the injuries 19% needed medical attention at a health centre and 2% in hospital; 5% were treated by a dentist.
Conclusions
Injury hazards in schools and pupils at high risk of injury can be recognised by the TAPE software presented here. Furthermore, the frequency of intentional injuries, which reflects the trends of violent behaviour at school, can be seen in the software. The TAPE software is a suitable tool for safety management and promotion at schools.
Miia Pauna, Kirsi-Marja Karjalainen, Ilona Nurmi-Lüthje, Kim Strömmer, Peter Lüthje
Ilona Nurmi-Lüthje
Adjunct Professor, Ph.D.
Head of the Centre
The Kouvola Centre for Injury and Violence Prevention
Finnish Medical Journal 2012;67:1827–31
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