Safety of Children in Grocery Carts: Adults' Personal Health and Safety Habits

Abstract

Observations of 246 children and the adults accompanying them were carried out in supermarkets. Of those arriving and leaving by automobile ( n = 194), 36% of adults used safety belts, and 51.1% of children used safety belts or restraining seats. While shopping, 79% of adults lost sight of the children in their care at least once, and 73.2% were 10 feet or more from their children at least once. 48% of children climbed or attempted to climb from carts; 27% stood in carts, and 23.6% handled hazardous products. 24% of adults purchased tobacco products. Poor adult supervision of children was related to adult's nonuse of safety belts and the child's and adult's ages. Climbing from the cart was related in a logistic regression to both poor adult supervision and child's age. Tobacco purchases were related to handling of hazards by children and standing in carts. Child's age and adult's safety belt use related to the restraint of children in vehicles.