15
Home Safety Practices for Prevention of Poisoning in Young Children
No Variables
Operational Definitions Scale of Measurement
6 No. of other
children in household
Respondent other children obtained from direct
question to the respondent Number
7 No. of adults in
household Number of adult persons
who stay in the house obtained from direct
question to the respondent Number
8 Furniture
availability Cabinets and drawers
available obtained by direct observation by research
assistant during home visit Yes
9 Self reported
practice of medication storage
Reported practice of medication storage obtained
from direct question to the respondent
Conclusion on safe storage based on
criteria: 1. Safe
2. Partially safe 3. Partially dangerous
4. Dangerous
10 Self reported
practice of household
chemicals storage Reported practice of
household chemicals storage obtained from direct
question to the respondent Conclusion on safe
storage based on criteria:
1. Safe 2. Partially safe
3. Partially dangerous 4. Dangerous
11 Self reported
practice of safe disposal of
medication Reported practice of disposal
of medication obtained from direct question to the
respondent Correct
Incorrect Based on criteria
12 Knowledge on
specific medication household
chemicals poisoning
Specific question on medication poisoning
household chemicals to young children posed to the
respondent Percentage of
respondents aware of risk
16
Home Safety Practices for Prevention of Poisoning in Young Children
No Variables
Operational Definitions Scale of Measurement
13 Possible rate
of poisoning in household of young
child Specific question on prior
experience of poisoning in the past year in young
children in the family Rate per 1000 children
per year
14 Possible poisoning
in young child of household or
relatives Specific question on any
experience of poisoning in the past year in young
children in the family or relatives
Yes or No
15 Knowledge on
specific young child behaviour
toward medication household
chemicals Specific question on young
child behaviour toward medicationhousehold
chemicals to young children posed to the respondent
Percentage of respondents aware of
risk
16 Additional
knowledge on safe storage on
medication household product
Specific question to determine additional
knowledge on safe storage of medication poisoning
household chemicals to young children posed to the
respondent
Open ended
3.6 Sampling
The sample size for the study was calculated using the Epicalc 2000 software. A similar study carried out shows that about 20 of homes have good home poison
safety measures in place Kimberly E, et al Home Safety in Inner Cities: Prevalence and Feasibility of Home Safety Product Use in Inner City Housing Pediatrics 2007.
Setting the significance level at 0.05 with a study power of 90 and assuming an improvement in home poison safety practices level from 20 to 40, the calculated
sample size was 108 for each intervention arm. After considering an estimated 30 attrition rate, the sample size was set at 150 for each intervention arm.
Random quota sampling of households which fulfil the inclusion and exclusion criteria was carried out.
The following are the inclusion criteria for houses selected for the study: 1.
Households with children aged 1 to 4 years 2.
The respondents have consented to participate
17
Home Safety Practices for Prevention of Poisoning in Young Children
3. The respondents are able to converse in either English or Malay
The following are the exclusion criteria for houses selected for the study: 1.
Households where only the maidbabysitter is present during the visit The samples were randomly chosen from the Birth Registration Book from Year
2004 till Year 2007. The homes identified were sampled into two intervention arms. Caregivers in Group 1 received intervention package which consists of an immediate
post audit feedback, an educational pamphlet and a home safety device while caregivers in Group 2 received intervention package which consists of an immediate
post audit feedback and an educational pamphlet.
3.7 Techniques for Data Collection Pre-Testing
Baseline data collection and data collection during each of the subsequent audits were carried out by trained public health nurses using a questionnaire refer
Appendix A and an audit checklist refer Appendix B. The questionnaire is used to determine the level of knowledge of caregivers on home poison safety practices
including safe storage and safe disposal to prevent accidental poisoning in young children.
3.8 Plan for Data Analysis and Interpretation Include Dummy Tables
SPSS version 15.0 and Epicalc 2000 were used to analyse the results of the study.
4.0 RESULTS
4.1 Results of Evaluation of Safety Device
A total of 133 children and their accompanying caregivers were involved in a sub-study to decide which safety device was more efficacious to be used in the
intervention package of the main study. Safety Device 1 is the Patrull DrawerCabinet Lock and Safety Device 2 is the Patrull Multilock.
Some of child-caregiver teams were tested on Safety Device 1 only 66, some on Safety Device 2 104 and some were tested on both devices.
This sub-study, to validate the home safety device, showed only Safety Device 2 Patrull Multilock to be efficacious which was then used in the intervention package
for Kinta District in the main study. A total of 100 96.2 out of 104 children failed to open Safety Device 2 on their first try and 89 89.0 out of 100 children failed to
open Safety Device 2 on their second try. All 104 100 accompanying caregivers adults successfully opened Safety Device 2 Table 6.
Safety Device 1 was found to be unsuitable as although 62 93.9 out of 66 children failed to open Safety Device 1 on their first try, only 45 72.6 out of 62 children
