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