FAMILIES AT RISK FOR UNINTENTIONAL INJURY AMONG PRESCHOOL CHILDREN (SAFETY, HOME).
Contributors: University of South Carolina.
Published: 1990
Number of pages: 213
Subjects: Health Sciences, Education.; Health Sciences, Public Health.; Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: This study examined sociodemographic, cognitive and psychosocial factors influencing safety practices among parents of preschool aged children. The randomly selected sample of 230 families was a subsample of 1279 families who participated in a random dial telephone survey. The families in this study were interviewed by telephone and later were visited in their home. During the home visit, direct observations of safety hazards were made. In addition, maternal responses to hazardous situations as well as measures of stress, social support, locus of control and safety norms were collected. Sociodemographic data, the mother's perceptions of risks and hazards, the child's injury history, and temperament were also collected.

Multivariate analysis was done, using observed home safety hazards as one dependent variable and safety supervision practices as another.

It was found that the mother's race, her education, the age of the child and the repair status of her home were predictive of safety hazards found in the home environment. Specifically, the data show that older, black children who are exposed to a greater number of safety hazards, typically live in a home in obvious need of repair. Their mothers are likely to have fewer years of education.

Variables statistically significantly related to self-reported safety supervision practices include, the child's age, the type of dwelling where the family lives, and the mother's perception of safety social norms. Specifically, the data showed that children who receive less supervision are likely to be older and live in a single family home. The mother's safety social norms are similar to her friends or family with young children.

The data is inconclusive, but it may suggest that mothers who report less supervision and mothers whose home environment has more safety hazards perceive their child to be at greater risk for sustaining an injury and perceive hazards to be less serious.

Findings from this study can be used as baseline data for additional childhood injury related studies and can be used in planning home safety injury intervention programs.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-03, Section: B, page: 1331.

Thesis (ED.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1990.

School code: 0202.