Health conditions and the risk of home injury in French adults: results from a prospective study of the MAVIE cohort

Abstract

Background: Home injury (HI) is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in adults of all ages. Health conditions significantly impact HI among old adults, but little is known for other adults.

Study design: Prospective cohort study.

Objective: We assessed the associations between health-related factors and HI's risk in a French study, the MAVIE (Mutualistes pour la recherche contre les Accidents de la VIE courante) cohort.

Methods: Poisson mixed models were fitted using health-related data information (diseases, treatments and disabilities) at baseline and the number of injuries prospectively recorded during the follow-up, adjusting for significant sociodemographics and exposure to a range of home activities. Attributable fractions were estimated based on risk ratio (RR) estimations measured in the fully adjusted models.

Results: A total of 6146 dwelling adults aged 15 or older were followed up for 5.1 years on average. Vertigo or dizziness (RR=2.36, 95% CI 1.06 to 5.01) and sciatica or back pain (RR=1.49, 95% CI 1.08 to 2.05) were independently associated with an increased risk of HI. These two groups of conditions showed the most significant associations among people aged 15-49, whereas musculoskeletal diseases other than rachialgias and arthropathies were the most significant health-related risk factor in people aged 50 and older. Sciatica or back pain represented the highest burden of HIs in overall adults (8%) and among people aged 15-49 (12%).

Conclusion: Our results suggest that adults with musculoskeletal disorders and vertigo or dizziness symptoms have a higher risk of HI, regardless of age.

Keywords: cohort study; community; home; longitudinal; mixed methods; web-based.