Nonfatal childhood injuries and their association with socioeconomic and gender structures: an ecological study of 14 Swedish municipalities (2000–2005)

Abstract

Background: Injuries are the major cause of death and disability in European children. This study explored
socioeconomic and gender structures in association with nonfatal childhood injury rates by sex and age
groups in Sweden.
Methods: Six indicators of socioeconomic structure and three indicators of gender structure were combined
using principal component analysis. Sex- and age-specific mean annual injury rates of fourteen Swedish
municipalities were estimated (2000–2005). The associations were analysed with Pearson’s correlation
coefficients.
Results: Narrow gender ratio in unskilled occupations and in politics was positively associated with injuries
in girls 6–17 years (r ≥ 0.7) and with fractures in boys 6–12 years of age (r = 0.5). Wider income distribution
was negatively associated (r ≥ -0.4) with boys’ injuries and positively associated with fractures in girls 13–17
years (r = 0.5). Relative wealth and male manager dominance was negatively associated with injuries in
children 0–5 years (r = -0.4). Relative poverty was not associated with nonfatal childhood injuries.
Conclusions: The strength of the associations between socioeconomic and gender structures and nonfatal
childhood injury rates varied by sex, age group and type of injury. Childhood injury preventive interventions
should consider the local gender structure, area-level wealth and area-level income distribution, and not
only area-level poverty.