Resources for
Child and adolescent injuries
The following materials were created prior to the merger between the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) and the Utah Department of Human Services (UDHS). These materials are only available upon request.
The 2019 Utah Child Fatality Review Annual Report reveals that suicide was the leading cause of death among children, accounting for over 36% of reviewed deaths. The report reviewed 177 child deaths, highlighting that injury deaths were significantly higher in males, teens, and rural populations, and provided 42 recommendations for preventing future child deaths.
The 2021 Utah Adolescent Health Report provides comprehensive data on the health and well-being of adolescents in Utah, focusing on six key areas: chronic conditions, lifestyles, mental health, substance abuse, violence and injury, and the impact of COVID-19. The report highlights significant concerns such as the high rates of asthma, obesity, mental health issues, and substance use among Utah's youth, along with disparities by gender and grade level.
The Utah Teen Driving Task Force Strategic Plan (2013-2018) outlines efforts to reduce teen traffic accidents through coordinated activities and effective marketing campaigns focused on safe driving behaviors. The plan includes strategies for increasing parental involvement, enhancing driver education, supporting peer-to-peer programs, and advocating for policies that align with national traffic safety standards.
The "State-School-Injuries-2016" report analyzes student injuries in Utah from 2012 to 2015, highlighting trends in injury reporting and identifying common injury types and contributing factors. It reveals that head and upper extremity injuries are most frequent, with tripping and slipping as common causes, and injuries often occurring during physical education classes and lunch recess.
The "Drowning Fact Sheet 2019" highlights that, on average, 27 unintentional drowning deaths occur in Utah annually, with 56% of these involving children, primarily during June, July, and August. It emphasizes the importance of water safety measures, such as supervising children, using life jackets, and learning CPR, to prevent drownings, which predominantly affect males and often occur in pools, bathtubs, and open water.
The "Concussion Fact Sheet 2019" reports that students in Utah experience concussions daily, primarily during lunch recess or physical education classes, with 61% of these incidents occurring among male students. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing concussion symptoms and ensuring that schools have concussion policies, with 80% of schools requiring staff training and 66% providing concussion materials to coaches or trainers.
The "User Guidebook for Locating Student Injury Data in the Indicator Based Information System (IBIS-PH)" provides step-by-step instructions for accessing and querying student injury data in Utah. It explains how to navigate the IBIS database, build queries using various parameters like grade level and injury type, and interpret the results to gain insights into student injuries reported through the Student Injury Reporting System (SIRS).
The Playground Safety factsheet by the Utah Department of Health reports that 67.1% of student injuries in Utah elementary schools between 2012 and 2015 occurred on playgrounds, highlighting that playground injuries are the most common type for children in grades K-6. It also discusses the Student Injury Reporting System (SIRS), which has been collecting data since the early 1980s and indicates an increasing trend in reported injuries, stressing the importance of this data for enhancing school safety measures.
