Disability and risk of non-fatal residential injuries among adults

Objective: Many unintentional injuries occur in the home, but little research has considered the specific vulnerability of people with disabilities. Design: Cross-sectional study examining nationally representative data from the 2004-2006 National Health Interview Surveys. Subjects: Adults aged 18 and older who reported having an unintentional, non-motor vehicle-related injury in the home (n = 2189) or outside the home (n = 2072) and those who reported no injuries (n = 81 919) 3 months before their interview. Main outcome measure: Non-fatal, unintentional, non-motor vehicle-related injuries. Results: Among respondents experiencing a residential injury, 21.2% reported one type of disability, 11.2% reported two disabilities, and 9.1% reported three or more disabilities. As the number of disabilities increased, the odds of reporting a residential injury increased. Adults with three or more disabilities had three times the odds of reporting a residential injury (adjusted odds ratio = 3.2, 95% CI 2.7 to 3.9), compared with adults reporting no injury. Conclusion: The risk of injury in the residential environment among adults with disabilities increases with increasing numbers of disabilities. Attention to home safety issues for residents with disabilities is needed.