Protecting the Little Ones: Empowering Mothers to Prevent Home Hazards - A Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract Background: Children under the age of 5 years are most vulnerable to injuries. The mother is the best person to pass on learning to children, and mothers’ knowledge of home injuries and preventive behaviors is an important factor in reducing these hazards. The present study examined the role of maternal education in the prevention of home hazards in children. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was performed on 70 mothers of 2- to 5-year-old children, who were referred to the community health centers of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in 2019. The participants were randomly selected and assigned to two groups. Data related to mothers’ demographic information, knowledge, and performance were collected, and the Injury Behavior Checklist for children was filled. Results: The findings of this study revealed that the mean (SD) of mothers’ knowledge 99.80 (1.12) and performance 61.71 (21.75) increased significantly in the intervention group after the training course ( p < 0.05). Moreover, the mean score obtained based on the children’s risky behavior assessment checklist decreased significantly after the intervention (F = 181.35, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Based on the findings of this study, establishing the role of educational intervention in preventing home hazards in 2- to 5-year-old children, it has been advised to conduct training courses for mothers to improve their performance in childcare.