Parents' Experience with Infant Safety Accidents and Needs of Safety Education: Content Analysis

Abstract

Purpose: This study investigated the experiences of parents with infant safety accidents. In addition, this study analyzed the safety education required by the parents.Methods: A total of 21 parents with 6- to 12-month-old infants participated in the study. Data were gathered by one-on-one interviews with the parents using a semi-structured interview guide that included experiences with safety accidents and safety education. Content analysis was used.Results: Most safety accidents involving infants occurred at home, and the most common type of accident was falls. Because infant safety accidents occurred suddenly, it was difficult for parents to predict them. Parents reported a lack of first aid information or the ability to deal with safety accidents. They felt guilty for the safety accidents. The safety education contents they requested were first aid practice and home environment management. Home visits, group education, and mobile applications were the preferred methods for providing the safety education.Conclusion: To reduce the difficulties that parents face in safety accidents, infant safety education for parents is needed that provides a parental education program about first aid practices and home environment management. Additionally, to meet the needs of the parents, various modes of delivery for the safety education course should be developed.

Analysis of research on interventions for the prevention of safety accidents involving infants: a scoping review

“…In addition, accidents involving jamming one's fingers or toes can be easily prevented by improving the physical environment, including by installing prevention devices and shock relieving devices [ 10 ]. These results are similar to that of a study by Han and Chae [ 5 ] that analyzed the safety education needs of parents of infants and reported a high need for a safe family environment for children. Since the home is the place where most accidents involving infants and toddlers occur [ 2 ], parents should recognize the types of safety accidents that can occur in the home and assess and manage the home environment to prevent safety accidents or reduce the potential degree of injury [ 11 , 29 ].…”

“…Safety equipment [ 7 , 29 ], home visits [ 11 , 16 ], and supervision [ 29 ] should also be incorporated to enhance the active participation of parents. According to a study by Han and Chae [ 5 ], parents of infants prefer home visits for one-on-one intensive interventions, as well as interventions that use mobile applications that transcend time and space, there by supporting the results of this study.…”

“…Infants and toddlers are curious and active. However, they are frequently exposed to environments posing a high risk for safety accidents due to a lack of awareness and coping skills in situations, as well as poor self-regulation and physical strength [3][4][5]. Therefore, to prevent accidents involving infants at home, parents should focus on keeping the home environment safe and preventing accidents by closely monitoring their children's high-risk behaviors [3][4][5][6].…”

“…Since parents play many roles, they may not be able to pay sufficient attention to prevent safety accidents and may fail to prepare for safety accidents properly due to a lack of information. In addition, since the opinions of family members tend to differ, individual family members may confront risky situations inconsistently [5]. Therefore, to ensure the safety of children at home, parents of infants and toddlers should be educated to ensure their accurate understanding of information and strategies to prevent safety accidents involving children [7][8][9].…”

“…Supporting and helping parents to ensure the safety and health of their children is an important task in childcare; therefore, effective interventions for safety accident prevention should be provided for parents [ 5 , 13 - 15 ]. It is necessary to understand the importance of education to prevent accidents involving children practically and comprehensively.…”