Effectiveness of systematically delivered evidence-based home safety promotion to improve child home safety practices: a controlled before-and-after study

Abstract

ObjectiveEvaluate the effectiveness of systematically delivered evidence-based home safety promotion for improving child home safety practices.DesignControlled before-and-after study.SettingNine electoral wards in Nottingham, UK.Participants361 families with children aged 2–7 months at recruitment living in four intervention wards with high health, education and social need; and 401 in five matched control wards.InterventionEvidence-based home safety promotion delivered by health visiting teams, family mentors and children’s centres including 24 monthly safety messages; home safety activity sessions; quarterly ‘safety weeks’; home safety checklists.OutcomesPrimary: composite measure comprising having a working smoke alarm, storing poisons out of reach and having a stairgate. Secondary: other home safety practices; medically attended injuries. Parents completed questionnaires at 12 and 24 months after recruitment plus optional three monthly injury questionnaires.ResultsAt 24 months there was no significant difference between groups in the primary outcome (55.8% vs 48.8%; OR 1.58, 95% CI 0.98 to 2.55) or medically attended injury rates (incidence rate ratio 0.89, 95% CI 0.51 to 1.56), but intervention families were more likely to store poisons safely (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.06 to 3.07), have a fire escape plan (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.06 to 3.08), use a fireguard or have no fire (OR 3.17, 95% CI 1.63 to 6.16) and perform more safety practices (β 0.46, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.79).ConclusionsSystematic evidence-based home safety promotion in areas with substantial need increases adoption of some safety practices. Funders should consider commissioning evidence-based multicomponent child home safety interventions.Trial registration numberISRCTN31210493.