Abstract

COSTA, Ana Margarida et al. Accident prevention: what parents know. Nascer e Crescer [online]. 2011, vol.20, n.4, pp.244-247. ISSN 0872-0754.

Introduction: Home and traffic accidents are a frequent cause of child morbidity and mortality. Objective: To assess parents’ knowledge of child safety standards, taking into account their level of education (Basic (B), Secondary (S), Academic degree (A)). Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study with application of a questionnaire to parents of children aged 9 months to 6 years. The χ2 test (p <0.05) was used for the statistical analysis, using the SPSS version 17.0. Results: A total of 281 inquiries were collected (46% A). The main sources of information about accident prevention were the media (86,7%) and the doctor (69,5%). At home, 40,2% of the houses did not have safety latches on the balconies or windows (B 26,8%, S 36,8%, A 48,5%, p=0,014); 47,5% of those with stairs had no protection (B 17,9%, S 44,4%, A 59,5%, p=0,000), as well as 28,1% of those with fireplace; 33,1% had no protection for electrical outlets, or corners (70,2%). In the kitchen, 30,2% of the parents left their children alone; 22,8% cooked with children in their arms; 49,5% didn’t keep detergents in an inaccessible place and 8,5% changed the original packing (B 19,6%, S 11,6%, A 1,5%, p=0,000). 34,2% of the children used walkers. 32,4% of the parents carried the child on their lap in the car. Conclusions: We conclude that many parents are not aware of basic safety rules and do not implement measures to prevent home accidents. Considering the different level of education, in the generality, inappropriate attitudes were found in all groups. Health professionals should guide and alert parents to change attitudes and behaviours.

Keywords : Domestic accidents; accident prevention; safety standards.

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