Abstract

Background: Home accidents are a significant cause of injury and death among preschool children, primarily due to their developmental stage, limited risk awareness, and high levels of curiosity. In India, home-related accidents are a leading contributor to child morbidity and mortality, yet they often go underreported and under recognized. A 2020 study indicated that nearly 60% of injuries in children under five occurred within the home environment. Mothers, as primary caregivers, play a pivotal role in creating a safe home environment and responding effectively in case of accidents. Aims and Objectives: 1. Assess the pre-test and post-test level of knowledge on prevention of home accidents among mothers of preschool children. 2. Determine the effectiveness of a planned structured teaching programme on the prevention of home accidents. 3. Associate the selected demographic variables with post-test knowledge levels on home accident prevention. Methodology: A quantitative research approach with a pre-experimental one group pre-test and post-test design was adopted. The study was conducted in Thalambur village, Chennai, among 30 mothers of preschool children selected through purposive sampling. Results: Significant improvement was observed in post-test scores (p < 0.05), indicating the effectiveness of the teaching module. Post-test knowledge levels showed a statistically significant association with age, occupation, monthly income, and type of family (p < 0.05), while other demographic variables were not significantly associated. Conclusion: The findings suggest that a structured health teaching programme significantly improves knowledge on home accident prevention among mothers of preschool children. Implementing similar community-based interventions may reduce the incidence of preventable home injuries in this vulnerable age group.

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