The Home Can be a Dangerous Place for Teens

	Tweet

While studies have shown that the home can be one of the most dangerous places for young children, a new study finds that it can also be hazardous for teenagers.

In a small study published in the latest issue of International Emergency Nursing University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) psychologists inspected the homes of 42 teenagers, ages 14-16. Among their findings:
• 29 percent of the homes had unlocked firearms present.
• 15 percent of rifles and 18 percent of handguns found in the homes were stored loaded with ammunition.
• 31 percent had alcohol that was not locked away.
• 21 percent of the houses had exposed electrical cords.
• 6 percent of the homes had fireworks present, but in all cases the fireworks were kept unlocked.

Teen risk-taking includes not only reckless driving, substance use and sexual behavior, but also potentially dangerous experimentation with items designed primarily for adult use such as firearms and alcohol, the study’s authors said. And although residential environment risks are viewed to be most concerning for very young children, more than 30 percent of fatal teen injuries occur in the home, said UAB psychologist David Schwebel, Ph.D., the study’s principal investigator and director of the UAB Youth Safety Lab.

“The results [of the study] suggest there are substantial risks to adolescent safety in the home environment,” he said.

Unintentional cuts, poisonings, burns and falls result in more than 300,000 annual emergency room visits for 15- and 16-year-olds, according to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

The authors say more studies are needed to examine the personality, history and peer relationships of teens in relation to their development and the potential injury risks in the home.

Note: David Schwebel, Ph.D., will be available for interviews through Feb. 6 and after Feb. 13.

Source: University of Alabama at Birmingham

RELATED STORIES:
U.S. parents talking less to kids about drugs   Study finds big decrease in global child mortality   Cholesterol Drug OK For Kids   New immigrants less likely to have premature babies in the first 5 years in Canada: Study   Elementary School Intervention Increases Mental, Sexual Health, Economic Status   Moderately premature infants often ill early on   Not Sure How to Treat Your Child’s Cough Or Cold This Year?   More awareness needed of toddlers’ risk for scalds   Cooking in the classroom to fight childhood obesity   Kids with Hearing Loss in One Ear Fall Behind in Language Skills   Implanted lenses may not be superior to contacts for babies with cataracts   New UCLA study raises questions about genetic testing of newborns

Comments

[ + Post Your Own ]

Now you're in the public comment zone. What follows is not Armenian Medical Network's stuff; it comes from other people and we don't vouch for it. A reminder: By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.

There are no comments for this entry yet. [ + Comment here + ]