Graduate Research School

Hayati Kadir Shahar

Thesis

The effect of community-based prevention interventions on trends of childhood injury: a Western Australian linked data study

Summary

This research proposes to utilise whole-population linked health data from the WA Data Linkage System (WADLS) containing injury data from 1989 to 2007 to investigate the incidence of injury leading to hospitalisation or death among children aged 0-14 years. This will extend on previous injury research examining mortality and morbidity outcomes with the inclusion of emergency department (ED) information as well as additional information related to risk factors (for example, disadvantaged groups). This will be one of the first studies with the ability to take into account multiple risk factors and examine their interactions. Furthermore, a review of community-based interventions that have been undertaken with a focus on children and on the whole community between 1989 and 2007 will be conducted. The effectiveness of these interventions will be assessed through the use of segmented regression analysis (SRA).

Why my research is important

Able to use the WA Data Linkage System (WADLS) containing injury data from 1989 to 2007 to investigate the incidence of injury leading to hospitalisation or death among children aged 0-14 years.
The research will provide the evidence to focus injury prevention initiatives that are tailored to suit the different determinants of injury among children. The patterns and priorities identified can be translated into adoption of evidence-based injury control efforts that are aimed at children of varying ages and demographic factors.

Funding

• School of Population Health