Serious injury prevalence in adolescents: 50.2% in males, 37.7% in females across 44 national surveysHalf of Teen Boys Report Serious Injury, Global Survey Finds

Frontiers in Medicine Published November 6, 2026 Study authors: Masood Ali Shaikh DOI ↗ Editorial oversight: Dr. Lars van Dijk, PhD · Surgical, Procedural & Diagnostic

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Key Takeaway

Consider sex-specific injury prevention strategies in schools given the high reported injury prevalence.

This meta-analysis pooled data from 44 national surveys to estimate the prevalence of self-reported serious injury among school-going adolescents aged 13 to 17 years. The injury definition was based on the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) and referred to injuries sustained one or more times during the previous 12 months.

The pooled prevalence of serious injury was 50.2% in males (95% CI 46.7 to 53.7%; 95% prediction interval 28.3 to 72.0%) and 37.7% in females (95% CI 33.9 to 41.6%; 95% prediction interval 16.7 to 64.7%). Heterogeneity was very high for both sexes (I2 = 96.5% for males and I2 = 97.0% for females), indicating substantial variation across surveys.

The authors note high heterogeneity as a limitation. The wide prediction intervals reflect this variability, and the estimates should be interpreted with caution. No information on funding or conflicts of interest was reported.

In terms of practice relevance, the findings support the need for context- and sex-specific injury prevention strategies in schools. However, the observational nature of the surveys means that causal relationships cannot be inferred.

A new analysis pooled data from 44 national surveys of school-going adolescents aged 13 to 17. It looked at how many teens reported a serious injury in the past year. The surveys were part of a global school-based health study.

The analysis found that about 50% of boys and 38% of girls reported at least one serious injury in the previous 12 months. These are averages across many countries, and the actual numbers varied widely from place to place. The researchers note high inconsistency between surveys, meaning the true rates could be quite different in any single country.

The findings suggest that serious injury is common among teens worldwide. The researchers say the results support the need for injury prevention strategies in schools that are tailored to local contexts and to boys and girls separately.

Because the data are self-reported and vary so much between surveys, these numbers should be seen as broad estimates, not exact rates for any one place. Still, they highlight that teen injury is a widespread public health issue.

What this means for you:

Serious injuries are common among teens worldwide, but rates vary widely by location and sex.

Common questions

How common are serious injuries among teenagers worldwide?

Based on 44 national surveys, about 50.2% of boys and 37.7% of girls aged 13 to 17 reported a serious injury in the past year. However, rates varied widely between surveys, so these are rough averages, not exact numbers for any specific country.

Why do injury rates differ between boys and girls?

The analysis found that boys reported serious injuries more often than girls (50.2% vs 37.7%). The study did not explore the reasons for this difference, but it suggests that prevention efforts may need to be tailored by sex.

What are the limitations of this study?

The data are self-reported and come from many different surveys with high inconsistency (heterogeneity). This means the pooled averages may not accurately reflect injury rates in any single country or community. The study also did not report on causes or severity of injuries.

What can be done to prevent teen injuries?

The researchers say the findings support the need for injury prevention strategies in schools that are specific to local contexts and to boys and girls. They do not provide details on what those strategies should be, so parents and schools should consult local health authorities for guidance.

Study Details

Study typeMeta analysis

EvidenceLevel 1

PublishedNov 2026

View Original Abstract ↓

Serious injuries are an important cause of morbidity among adolescents globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) provides standardized and comparable data across LMICs and, in some cases, high-income countries. Recent multi-country estimates of serious injuries among school-going adolescents are limited. The objectives of this study were to estimate the pooled prevalence of self-reported serious injuries among school-going adolescents across the included GSHS surveys and to analyze variations by geographic region and survey period. A meta-analysis was conducted using the World Health Organization (WHO) GSHS data from 44 national surveys conducted during 2015–2023, for which data were available as of 12 March 2026. The outcome studied was self-reported, GSHS-defined serious injury sustained one or more times during the previous 12 months. Design-based sex-specific prevalence estimates, standard errors, and their 95% confidence intervals were computed. Pooled prevalence estimates were computed using random-effects meta-analysis with logit transformation and restricted maximum likelihood (REML) estimation, and the estimates were back-transformed into percentages. Heterogeneity was assessed, and sensitivity, subgroup, and leave-one-out analyses were conducted. Across the 44 included national GSHS surveys, the pooled prevalence of serious injury among male individuals was 50.2% (95% CI: 46.7–53.7%), and the 95% prediction interval (PI) was 28.3–72.0%. Among female individuals, the pooled prevalence was 37.7% (95% CI: 33.9–41.6%), with the 95% prediction interval being 16.7–64.7%. There was high heterogeneity for both sexes (male, I2 = 96.5%; female, I2 = 97.0%), indicating substantial between-survey variability. Geographic region and survey period were not statistically significant moderators for either sex. For male individuals, the pooled prevalence was highest in the Pacific and Africa and lowest in Latin America. For female individuals, the pooled prevalence was also highest in the Pacific and Africa and lowest in Latin America. Leave-one-out analysis showed that no single country dominated the pooled estimates. Sensitivity analysis produced materially unchanged findings. Across the included national GSHS surveys, serious injury was common among school-going adolescents aged 13–17 years, with a numerically higher pooled prevalence among male individuals. The findings support the need for context- and sex-specific injury prevention strategies in schools, including, where relevant, road safety measures, violence and bullying prevention, and stronger adolescent injury surveillance.

Serious injury prevalence in adolescents: 50.2% in males, 37.7% in females across 44 national surveysHalf of Teen Boys Report Serious Injury, Global Survey Finds

Common questions

Study Details

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Serious injury prevalence in adolescents: 50.2% in males, 37.7% in females across 44 national surveysHalf of Teen Boys Report Serious Injury, Global Survey Finds

Common questions

Study Details

Potent bisphosphonate therapy reduces incident vertebral fractures by 71% after denosumab discontinuation

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Clinical research that matters. Delivered to your inbox.

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