Head and Face Injuries in Brazilian Schoolchildren Victims of Physical Bullying: A Population-Based Study

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the occurrence of head and face injuries in Brazilian schoolchildren victims of physical bullying. Material and Methods: A population-based study was conducted on a stratified sample of 525 adolescents aged 13 to17 years of both sexes. Data on sex, age, occurrence of physical bullying, form of aggression, affected body region and presence of oral lesions were collected. Two questionnaires were used: one on bullying model TMR (Training and Mobility of Researchers) and another to record injuries in the maxillofacial region. The bivariate analysis used the Chi -square and Fisher's exact tests, with significance level of 5 %. Results: Among victims of bullying, 19.4 % were victims of physical bullying, more often among males (63.6 %). Face injuries were reported by 36.4 % of students, and involvement of the oral cavity reported by four individuals with lesions located in soft tissues. There was no association between sex of the victim and affected body region and between sex and form of aggression (p > 0.05). Head injuries were more frequent among boys (42.9 %), while face injuries were more frequent among girls (37.5 %). There was association between age of victims and the presence of injuries in the neck region (p = 0.04). Conclusion:The occurrence of physical bullying was more common among boys and face was the most affected body region. Injuries in the oral cavity involved soft tissues, especially lips, and no face and dental fractures were found.

Maxillofacial Injuries in Brazilian Children and Adolescents Victims of Physical Violence: A Single Forensic Center Analysis

“…The prevalence of injuries in the maxillofacial region was high, and a large part of injuries involved only soft tissues, confirming previous findings [14,25,30]. Children who are victims of physical violence may have intra-oral injuries ranging from minor injuries such as bruising on lips to more severe impairments such as dental fractures and in extreme cases, facial fractures [32,33]. The high frequency of soft tissue injuries deserves attention because it may also have negative physical, emotional and functional consequences to the victims [27].…”

Injuries in the Maxillofacial Complex and Associated Factors in Brazilian Victims of Violence: A Cross-sectional Study

“…The face is the most singular area of the body of individuals and represents their identity, so that aggressions in this region aim to disqualify the victim's identity, acting as a factor of intimidation. 34,35,36 This study has some limitations. Due to its cross-sectional design, the findings only demonstrate associations and not causality.…”

Características da violência exercida por adolescentes escolares [Characteristics of violence by school teenagers] [Características de la violencia por parte de estudiantes adolescentes]

“…Nesse sentido, a exemplo da situação mundial, no Brasil, os dados de mortalidade não representam a totalidade do problema, destacam-se as lesões não fatais que são responsáveis por elevados índices de morbidade e atendimentos nos serviços de saúde, além dos danos que têm acometido diferentes grupos vulneráveis, e repercutem diretamente no modo de viver dos adolescentes 15,16 .…”