Perceptions of injury risk in the home and workplace in Nepal: a qualitative study

Abstract

ObjectiveInjuries are a global health problem. To develop context-specific injury prevention interventions, one needs to understand population perceptions of home and workplace injuries. This study explored a range of views and perceptions about injuries in a variety of settings and identified barriers and facilitators to injury prevention.DesignQualitative study: interviews and focus groups.SettingThree administrative areas: Hetauda submetropolitan city, Thaha municipality and Bakaiya rural municipality in Makwanpur, Nepal.ParticipantsNine focus groups (74 participants) and nine one-to-one interviews were completed; workers from diverse occupations, residents (slum, traditional or modern homes) and local government decision-makers participated in the study between May and August 2019. The interviews and discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, translated to English and analysed thematically.ResultsSix themes were developed: unsafe home and workplace environment; inadequate supervision and monitoring; perceptions that injuries are inevitable; safety takes low priority: financial and behavioural considerations; safety education and training; and government-led safety programmes and enforcement. Key barriers to injury prevention were perceived to be lack of knowledge about injury risk and preventive measures both at the community level and at the workplace. Facilitators were community-level educational programmes and health and safety training to employees and employers. Participants stressed the importance of the role of the government in planning future injury prevention programmes in different environments.ConclusionsThis study highlighted that both home and workplace injuries are complex and multifactorial. Lack of knowledge about injury risks and preventive measures, both at the community level and at the workplace, was found to be a common barrier to injury prevention, perceived to be mitigated by educational programmes. Together with previously published epidemiological evidence, the barriers and facilitators identified in this study offer useful basis to inform policy and practice.

Behavioural and environmental risk factors for household injuries: semistructured interviews with health professionals and mothers in Iran

“…19 This is a critical issue in desperate need of preventive measures. 2 Children usually fall prey to adults’ recklessness and mistakes. At times, accidents happen as a result of parents’ lack of awareness, recklessness or ignorance.…”

“…19 The house environment and socioeconomic factors are also found to contribute to injuries such as falling, burning and poisoning. 2 Furthermore, unsafe buildings and cooking in similar conditions are of main risk factors. 7 23 According to 1 study, only 1 in every 10 families kept hazardous substances in locked cabinets.…”

“…The term ‘injury’ has been defined by WHO as exposure to energy of mechanical, radiant, thermal, electrical or chemical kind in amounts exceeding the threshold of physiological tolerance, 1 being largely predictable and preventable on a global scale. 2 Since immunity programmes and vaccinations eliminate the threat of infectious diseases such as poliomyelitis, diphtheria and measles, children’s health has dramatically changed over the last 50 years. However, one severe public health crisis threatening all children and coming with no vaccination is injury.…”

“…Identifying individual and environmental determinants and designing appropriate programmes considering the explored factors are instances of such interventions. 2 …”

Traumatic dental injuries due to occupational safety accidents of adult workers in Korea: a cross-sectional study

“…Injuries and deaths due to occupational accidents are recognized as a global phenomenon, and fatal and non-fatal injuries at construction sites cause enormous economic losses, with direct and indirect costs estimated at over 10 billion USD annually [3]. According to global estimates, nearly 4.5 million people died from injuries in 2017 [4,5], and the International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that 2.78 million people die annually from occupational injuries or occupational diseases [5,6]. A previous study showed that 70% of construction workers and 12.6% of industrial workers suffer physical trauma at the workplace due to falls from heights, falling objects, and electric shocks [7].…”