Risk Analysis and Risk Perception among Malaysian Caregivers: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Children attending childcare centres have been linked to increasing child health and safety risks due to uncalibrated risk analysis by caregivers. The qualitative risk analysis, which is more convenient and applicable, is heavily influenced by the risk perceptions of the risk perceivers. Therefore, this study explores how Malaysian caregivers analyse risks that could occur to children attending childcare centres. Six Malaysian caregivers selected using the purposive sampling technique were interviewed individually. The interviews are transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings show that experience, knowledge sharing, and common-sense shape caregivers’ risk perception. Thus, child health and safety risks could be reduced by providing evidence-based information related to injuries and illnesses of children attending childcare centres to caregivers.