A Study on Knowledge of Fathers on Prevention of Accidents Among Their Under-Five Children

: A study was conducted to assess the knowledge of fathers on prevention of accidents among under five children in paediatric OPD. By using convenience sampling technique 30 fathers were selected for the study and used semi structured knowledge questionnaire consists of 30 questions along with selected demographic data. The results of the study shows that majority (56.66%) had poor knowledge, 26.66% had average knowledge and only 16.66% of fathers had good knowledge on prevention of accidents among fathers of under-five children. The study concludes that parental education is required on prevention of accidents among parents.


INTRODUCTION:
Based on international health statistics, accidents emerge as a significant threat to the well-being of children, ranking among the most common causes of childhood mortality.At home, various factors contribute to this risk, including suffocation, drowning, poisoning, fire and burns, choking, falls, and firearms incidents.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the majority of home accidents occur in areas such as the kitchen, swimming pools, or hot tubs.Shrestha's research in 2006 highlighted burn injuries as a leading cause of unintentional harm in children, with a notable prevalence among those under 5 years of age, particularly affecting female children. 1 According to the World Health Organization, accidents are characterized as unexpected and unintended events that result in physical and mental injuries.This definition underscores the global impact of accidents, especially in developing countries, where injuries due to accidents rank as a leading cause of mortality among children under the age of five.Notably, in India, statistics from the National Crime Bureau reveal that 15%-20% of child deaths are attributed to injuries.This underscores the urgent need for comprehensive strategies and interventions to address and mitigate the impact of accidents on the well-being of children in these regions. 2 Childhood accidents represent a significant health concern, serving as a major contributor to mortality among children under the age of five.This vulnerable age group is particularly prone to injuries within the home environment, where accidents pose a significant risk.Falls, in particular, emerge as a predominant factor contributing to the majority of non-fatal accidents.Recognizing the gravity of this issue underscores the importance of implementing preventive measures and raising awareness to safeguard the well-being of young children and reduce the incidence of accidents in home settings. 2

LITERATURE REVIEW:
A research study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to factors contributing to home accidents and prevention among mothers with children aged 0-5 years admitted to the pediatric ward.The sample size, determined through power analysis, comprised 305 subjects, and a total of 340 mothers participated, responding to a questionnaire on parental attitudes about home accidents developed by Yalaki et al.Data analysis involved the use of the Kruskal-Wallis test, t-test, and chi-square test.
The findings of the study revealed a higher prevalence of incorrect attitudes and behaviors among mothers whose children had experienced home accidents (p<0.05).The study concludes that mothers of children who have encountered home accidents exhibit inappropriate attitudes and behaviors concerning the prevention of such incidents.It emphasizes the significance of education as a crucial factor in the prevention of home accidents. 4cross-sectional study was carried out to examine variations in knowledge and perceptions of home injuries, as well as safety behaviors among parents of children enrolled in ten private kindergartens in the Selangor district of Malaysia.Self-administered questionnaires covering sociodemographic information, awareness of home injuries, attitudes toward home injuries, and safety practices at home were disseminated.A total of 147 fathers and 182 mothers actively participated in the study.The study did not identify statistically significant differences in parental knowledge, perceptions, and safety behaviors (p > 0.05).
The correlation between knowledge (r = 0.099, p = 0.073) and perception (r = 0.207, p < 0.001) with behavior scores was found to be weak.Despite this, a consensus among most parents was observed, indicating that monitoring children's activities could mitigate the risk of injuries.The study concludes that healthcare practitioners should equally emphasize the promotion of safe behavioral practices to both parents, aiming to enhance their children's understanding and awareness of home injuries. 5

RESEARCH METHODLOGY:
Statement of the problem: "A study on Knowledge of fathers on Prevention of accidents among their children" Objectives of the study: the objectives of the study were to 1. Assess the level of knowledge of fathers on prevention of accidents among their children 2. Find out the association between knowledge score and selected demographic variables In the present study, non-experimental descriptive survey design was used to assess the knowledge on prevention of accidents among fathers of under-5 children in Shri Vinoba Bhave civil Hospital, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and 30 fathers were selected by convenience sampling technique, with under-5 children attending Paediatric OPD.Informed consent was obtained from all the fathers of under-5 children who have accepted to participate in the study.Thirty questionnaires were used to assess the knowledge about prevention of accidents among the fathers of under-5 children by using Semi structured interview along with sociodemographic data.For data analysis frequency percentage to assess the knowledge and chi-square test to find out the association between knowledge scores and selected demographic data.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:
In this study the sociodemographic data, where most of the fathers aged between 12 and 25 years (33.33%),30% of fathers have under-fives between 16 to 30 months, majority of them(under-five) were males (56.66%), most of fathers have passed degree/diploma (26.66%), majority (76.66%) were married and 23.33% were live in relationship, 40% of them have already reared only one under-five, 50% of fathers belongs to Hindu religion and majority (73.33%) of them belongs to rural area.
In the present study the association between knowledge scores and demographic data, where no demographic data is has significant association with knowledge score as calculated value is more than p value.
Relevant study was conducted among 30 mothers to examine the knowledge, attitude and perception on the prevention of home accidents among mothers with children age 0 to 5 years by using questionnaire.The outcome of the study showed that majority (73.3%) have had their children suffered from child injuries and also observed that burns (66.7%) and cut / wounds (63.3%) were recorded as the most prevalent child injuries among the respondents.In all 70 percent of the respondents recorded child injuries more than once in their homes.The study found that with the exception of education of mother and marital status of the mothers, all the other demographic variables showed insignificant relationship to prevention of child injuries.The study recommends that education programmers on the prevention and management of home accidents should be given urgent attention. 3

Figure 4: Level of Knowledge As
per the table number 2, majority (56.66%) had poor knowledge, 26.66% had average knowledge and only 16.66% of fathers had good knowledge.