Comparison of child home safety variables in Mexican American southwestern homes

Background: The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) reported in 2007 that of 21 high-income nations, the US ranked last in pediatric health and safety. In the US, 90% of all unintentional injuries and half of all deaths caused by unintentional injuries to children less than five years of age take place in their homes. Poorer citizens and immigrants are affected at disproportionate rates. Public health nurses face the challenge of assessing pediatric injury risk where child health is so largely influenced, in the home.

Purpose: This study compared home safety variables, acculturation, depression scores, mothers' self-efficacy for home safety behaviors and controllable hazards, in economically disadvantaged homes of 1 to 4 year olds.

Sample: Written consent was obtained from 32 mothers in New Mexico and 48 mothers in Texas residents served by non-profit agencies supporting Mexican immigrant families. Participants were at or below 185 % of the US Federal Poverty level.

Methods: A convenience sample answered maternal demographic and psychological scales related to child hazards during a home visit. These Spanish-language instruments included: Maternal Self-Efficacy for Safety, acculturation, Child Injury Worry and CES-D scales. Using baseline data, significant correlates of hazards were entered into a linear regression. MANOVA tests evaluated differences between comparison and experimental groups at baseline, followed by ANOVA tests and measures of effect size.

Results: Recruitment site, baseline depression, and the number of children in the home between one and four years of age emerged as significant predictors of hazards at baseline. A marginally significant interaction between time and group for depression with a medium effect size suggests the intervention may have helped to reduce depression. Significant main effects of time were found for self-efficacy indicating regardless of group, participants experienced heightened self-efficacy and less injury worry over time.

Conclusions: Those working with underserved populations have the ethical responsibility to utilize evidence-based research to plan interventions. In communities with colónias there may be greater need for assessment and intervention.

Funding: NIH Research Grant 5 P20 NR008348-05 funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research and the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities.