Abstract :
Introduction: Every child has the right to live in a safe environment. Injury in children is related to many factors among which the most important is the environment where they live.
Aim and Objectives: 1) To study the magnitude of home injuries in children aged 0-14 years. 2) To assess the environmental risk profile associated with home injuries in children aged 0-14 years residing in Mehrauli.
Materials and Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in 2015 in a ward of Mehrali, Delhi. Sampling unit was household. Study units were children aged 0-14 completed years. A sample of 400 households was visited and the population surveyed was 2024 of which 622 (32.5%) were children of 0-14 years. Both the child and the parents (Mother/ Father/Caretaker) of children, were interviewed after taking written informed consent from the parents. Information was taken using a self -designed, semi-structured, semi-open, pretested proforma. The data was analysed using SPSS version 12.
Results: Environment was assessed for inside the house, general / living area, kitchen, bathroom/toilets, doors, stairs, terrace, balcony were observed and descriptions about the risk area was given by standard definitions/observations. Majority of the households 95.3% had unsafe electrical plug points. Overcrowding was seen in 47% of houses. The children in 29.3 % of the households had access to sharps,19.3% of the households had access to fire and 16.2% to fuel. All the houses were observed for safety of stairs, terraces. Presence of open drains, animals was observed.
Conclusion: Unsafe home environment plays an important role for injuries among children 0-14 years.
Keyword :
Unintentional injuries, environmental risk, Home environment