Prevalence and Risk Factors of Home Accidents Among Children Under Five Years of Age in Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Introduction: Internationally, home accidents are the main cause of preventable debilities and death among children and young persons. Many times, children survive accidents with physical or mental damage that curtails their activities in the long term. The most commonly reported accidental injuries include head injuries, open wounds, and poisoning. This study aims to assess the prevalence and factors associated with home accidents among children under five years old in the Al-Baha region, Saudi Arabia.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among the community population in the Al-Baha region, Saudi Arabia, targeting all accessible parents who have children under five years old. A convenience sampling technique was used for sample collection during the period of three months (May 2023 to July 2023), where all accessible parents who fulfilled the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate were invited to fill out the received online study questionnaire. Section 1 covered the participants' demographic data. The second section covered the children's data and the third section included questions about home accident types, frequency, severity, and causes.Results: The findings showed that 205 (58.2%) study parents reported a history of home accidents among their children. As for accident data, about 122 (59.5%) of the injured children were males. The most reported home accidents among children were fall/impact with hard objects (58.2%), burn (30.7%), asphyxia (27.6%), and poisoning (24.4%). Families with more than seven members and those with four or more siblings significantly experienced higher home accidents than others (p<0.001). Conclusion:In conclusion, the current study showed that home accidents among children under five years of age were mainly falls and burns; they were mainly found among male children and children in families with highly educated mothers and many kids. A majority of the reported cases of home accidents were less severe and the hospitalization rates with complications were very few.

Assessment of knowledge, attitude, and practice toward first aid management of choking hazards among Eastern Province Saudi adults: an observational study

“…According to an experimental study conducted in 2018 using an internet-based educational video, 202 parents of children aged 6 months to 4 years showed a considerable positive attitude toward the management of choking ( 2 ). Recent studies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) highlight the significance of unintentional injuries among children, including choking hazards ( 11 , 12 ). For instance, in assessing home accidents and contributing factors among under-5 children in KSA by Alamr F et al, airway obstruction (choking) leading to asphyxia (27.6%) was identified as a significant cause of accidents among their study participants ( 11 ).…”

“…Recent studies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) highlight the significance of unintentional injuries among children, including choking hazards ( 11 , 12 ). For instance, in assessing home accidents and contributing factors among under-5 children in KSA by Alamr F et al, airway obstruction (choking) leading to asphyxia (27.6%) was identified as a significant cause of accidents among their study participants ( 11 ). Furthermore, findings from neighborhood countries such as the United Arab Emirates indicate that Choking hazards are significantly high in this region ( 13 ).…”