Assessment of risk factors for domestic accidents among rural children, Alqalioubiya Governorate, Egypt

Abstract

Background Domestic accidents among children are increasingly being seen as a community health problem; much of this increase is occurring in developing countries and could be prevented through increased awareness, safe practices, and improvements in the home environment. Preschool children are extremely vulnerable to domestic accidents. Domestic accidents remain the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children worldwide. Aim This study aimed to assess the risk factors for domestic accidents among rural children at Alqalioubiya Governorate, Egypt. Participants and methods A descriptive research design was utilized. Sample: a purposive sample of 225 homes having children younger than 5 years old was included in the study. Setting: the study was carried out in homes of Bakira Village. It is a rural area in the middle north of Alqalioubiya Governorate, with an estimated population of 6190 individuals. Tools: two tools were used. The first tool was a questionnaire on background characteristics; it included the following parts: part A − the demographic characteristics of parents and children and part B − domestic accidents involving children. The second tool was :home observation using a checklist of environmental risk factors. Results The current study reveals that the age of the mothers was mean±SD=31.95±6.4; 44.4% of the mothers had completed secondary education. Furthermore,42.2% of children were between 25 and 48 months of age. The occurrence of domestic accidents among children was 69.3%. There was a highly statistically significant difference between occurrences of domestic accidents among children, working status of mothers, children’s age in months, and the total mean score of home observation. Conclusion The study concluded that 54.2% of moderate-risk factors were present in general indoor areas, while 68.4% of high-risk factors were present in bathrooms. 69.3% of children were involved in domestic accidents and only 2.2% of the mothers called an ambulance when accidents occurred. Recommendation Educational programs about the risk factors of domestic accidents and to provide information for mothers about safety measures in the home may help reduce home accidents. Future research should be focused on assessment of the prevalence of domestic accidents among children in different areas, among different age groups and with larger samples.