Abstract

Unintentional childhood injuries cause high mortality and disability. Objective of this crosssectional study, conducted in two villages of Delhi, India, wasto assess risk of unintentional childhood injuries. Study population included adolescents and adult women of selected families. Data was collected by interview of the subjects and observation of domestic and peri-domestic environment, covering 121 houses, which included 299 adolescents and 164 women. Knowledge of the subjects regarding injuries and their prevention was assessed as Mean Subject Knowledge Score, which for the total population was 3.60 (15% of total score). Mean Family Practice Scoreas reported by subjects were 11.50 (38% of total score) and 10.60 (35% of total score) regarding injury prevention and injury treatment seeking behavior respectively. Mean environmental safety score was 19.95 (49.8% of total score). Mean knowledge score was 3.58 for adolescents and 5.00 for women. The difference was not statistically significant. Mean score regarding family practices for prevention of injuries was 13.45 for adolescents and 10.03 for women, with statistically significant difference. Mean score regarding injury treatment seeking behavior did not show any difference. Families under study are at high risk of unintentional childhood injuries, as knowledge of subjects and family practices regarding injury prevention and injury treatment seeking behaviorare poor, along with low environment safety score.

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