Determining factors of domestic accidents in early childhood

Abstract

Introduction: Domestic accidents are one of the main causes of death among children, characterized by an event that involves multiple determinants, emphasizing, among others, intrapersonal, interpersonal, cultural and institutional factors. Objective: To analyse the determinants of domestic accidents in early childhood. Methods: This is an exploratory, descriptive, and cross-sectional study carried out in the Emergency Hospital of Teresina city, Piauí, Brazil, between January and March 2016. The population was composed of 21 caregivers of children under five years old, hospitalized between January and March 2016. For data collection, a structured interview was conducted on aspects related to the risk factors associated with the incidence of domestic accidents involving children. A descriptive analysis was performed, with absolute and relative frequencies for the variables. The Human Research Ethics Committee approved the research with Protocol No. 1324184. Results: In relation to intrapersonal factors, pre-school children were the main victims (57.2%). For interpersonal factors, it was observed that most of participants (85.7%) considered the household unsafe for children. The evaluation of institutional factors showed that most caregivers (52.4%) had not been advised about the prevention of accidents at home. In terms of cultural factors, most participants (81%) had not heard news about domestic accidents. Conclusion: Parents and caregivers have very limited knowledge about the prevention of childhood accidents at home, with male pre-schoolers the main  victims of domestic accidents.