Risk Reduction Education to Prevent Preschool Children's Home Accidents: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Objective: Preschool-age children experience many home accidents, and school nurses play a role in preventing these accidents. Methods: Accordingly, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of training preschool-age children through an imagined hide-and-seek game using a model home environment, in cases that may pose an accident risk. This pretest-posttest control-group study was conducted between March and June 2019. In total, 72 preschool students were included in the study. The study group's education through the model home environment and game was assessed using the Determination of Home Environment Risks Form. Results: The post-education mean accident risk scores of the children in the study group increased in the kitchen (pre-education: 4.89 +/- 3.258; post-education: 9.56 +/- 3.549), children's room (pre-education: 6.17 +/- 3.776; post-education: 8.56 +/- 3.722), and garden (pre-education: 4.39 +/- 2.697; post-education: 6.72 +/- 2.953). In the study group, the mean scores of children for recognizing the circumstances that pose a risk of accident in the home environment were determined to increase significantly (P < 0.001). The corresponding scores of the children in the control group did not change in the kitchen (pre-education: 3.89 +/- 2.025; post-education: 3.44 +/- 2.006), children's room (pre-education: 3.72 +/- 1.667; post-education: 3.50 +/- 2.158), or garden (pre-education: 2.83 +/- 1.813; post-education: 2.17 +/- 2.049). Conclusions: The new techniques, which will help children learn while having fun, should be integrated into preschool children's education programs to reduce home accidents.