Injury Management in High Schools in Kenya

Background: There is shortage of knowledge on the methods used to manage injuries in high schools in Kenya.

Objective: To describe the injury management intervention practice in high schools in Kenya.

Methods: Injury related data was collected in year 2010 from 287 nationally representative high schools through self-administered questionnaires and interviews. Participants were asked about injuries that had occurred in their schools in the preceding 12 months. The injuries were coded using classification methods derived from ICD – 10.

Results: Slightly less than half of the schools (49%, n=141) kept and updated students health records. In total, 3505 injuries were reported to have been sustained by the students resulting to an injury rate of 3.99 per 100 students per year. The rate of injury was higher among boys (4.79 injuries per 100 students) than among the girls (3.19 injuries per 100 students, RR 1.50; 95%CI: 1.41 – 1.60; p<0.001). About 30% of schools had no caregivers with only 58% of District schools engaging them. Only 18% of care givers had been trained on injury management. The study showed that 11% of the schools had no First Aid kits, 54% had no sanatorium and only 15% of District schools had a sanatorium.

Conclusion: High school students incur significant number of injuries and all schools should be prepared on the injury management. This study suggests that every school should formulate consistent injury management policies to address consistent post injury management procedures.