Self-reported injury in Australian young adults: demographic and lifestyle predictors

OBJECTIVES: Injury is the major cause of mortality and morbidity among adolescents and young adults. This study examined the use of injury self-reports and various causes of injury among adolescents. METHODS: A cohort recruited in 2002 as a representative sample of students from the State of Victoria in south-east Australia was followed and resurveyed in young adulthood in 2010 (mean age 21.0) and 2012 (mean age 23.1) with 75% of the target sample retained (N=2,154, 55.8% female). RESULTS: Prior injuries were reported by 55.5% in 2010 and 54.6% in 2012, leaving 18% with continuing disability. Reported causes of injury in 2012 were sports (55.1%) and alcohol use (9.7%). Logistic regression revealed that injury in 2012 was predicted by rural school attendance in 2002 (Adjusted Odds Ratio [OR] 1.4 CI 1.1-1.7) and in 2010 by male gender (OR 2.2, CI 1.8-2.6), reported self-harm (OR 1.6 CI 1.1-2.2), and unemployment (OR 0.7, CI 0.5-1.0). CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported injury among young adults is reliably reported, and suggests the need to further examine gender, rural communities and self-harm, and indicates modifiable contributors to injury. Implications for public health: Modifiable contributors to injury prevention are revealed as work environment, sports participation and alcohol use.