ABSTRACT
Background: Home accidents are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among children aged 0-5 years. as such, parents play a vital role in preventing these accidents. Children under the age of 5years are at high risk for many accidents such as burn, fall, accidental poisoning and drowning, 65% injuries occur around home. Thus, this study sought to investigate the knowledge of parents with children aged 0-5years on the prevention of home accidents in the Bokoko Community. Specifically, the study sought to determine the type of home accidents among children less than 5 years, determine the level of knowledge of parents on the causes and of home accident and to find out some of the possible measures used by parents in the prevention of these home accidents. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional community base research design was adopted for the study. A structured questionnaire addressed to 100 conveniently sampled parents in the Bokoko community, was the main tool for data collection. Data was analyzed using inferential statistical analysis and presented on tables in frequencies and percentages. Results: The study findings revealed that the prevalence of home accidents was high (95.0%), mostly reported being falls, burns and poisoning. Most domestic accidents were cause by a lack of supervision, which led to the child swallowing detergent and other household chemicals, playing close to the fire, playing around stairs without handrails etc. Measures employed to ensure children’s safety included keeping chemicals away from children, and ensuring children do not play where there is fire and avoid unnecessary rough play. Conclusion: The study employed 100 parents using the survey research methodology and questionnaires as the main instrument of data collection. . The study found out that the major types of home accidents with 54.7% of respondents were falls, poisoning and burns and the least with 15.4% was chocking, animal bite and drowning. 99% of parents agreed that swallowing of detergent and other household chemicals were the main cause of home accidents and the least with 62% was covering of head with blanket. 100% of parents agreed that maintaining safety precautions at home and teaching children to be cautious in harmful situations can prevent home accidents and 96% agreed that keeping the environment clean can reduce to risk of home accidents.

CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
Annually, thousands of children die due to accidents worldwide and millions of children are
referred to hospitals due to injuries caused by accidents resulting in lifelong disabilities (WHO,
UNICEF., 2008). Injury is defined as a physical damage to the human body upon exposure to
an excessive amount of force that is beyond the physiological threshold of tolerance. An injury
that is not intended to harm purposely or intentionally is known as an unintentional injury. It
includes injuries caused by traffic accidents, falls, burns, drowning, sport-related injuries,
poisoning and suffocation (Chen et al., 2007).
Injury among children can happen anywhere; the road, home, or playground. Studies on
childhood injuries have shown that majority of the accidents occur inside the home. According
to the World Health Organization (WHO 2015), injury-specific mortality rate in the under-five
age group was 73 per 100,000 population and 3654 years of life was lost per 100,000
population. Accidental injuries to infants and young children are often serious, but largely
preventable with appropriate information and safe practices. Young children are particularly
prone to accidents due to their innate desire to explore the world and the inability to perceive
the dangers of their actions. As children learn through experience, minor injuries are inevitable
but providing a safe environment can reduce the risks, coupled with close supervision and
setting the limits of safety. However, parents should remember that they need to maintain a
constant balance between
over protecting the child on one, hand and giving freedom in the process of learning the hazards
of his/her environment (Hossien, 2009).
Children under 5yrs are more at risk of domestic accidents because of their normal curiosity,
impulsiveness, and desire to learn and master new skills. Also children imitate adult behaviour
from an early age, and boys are more likely to have accidents than girls. Most injuries take
place in or near a child’s home where unsafe play areas and play things are often found. Age,
sex, and economic factors are important determinants of injury’s incidence and severity.
Although home is the place which is safe and secure for the children, unfortunately, home is
where many injuries and deaths occur. The main causes of accidents in the home are falls,
burns, drowning, suffocation, choking, poisoning, and cuts. The most severe injuries in
children are associated with heat-related accidents and fall from a height. Older children are
most likely to sustain fractures than younger counterparts. Younger children have a higher
percentage of burns and scalds as well as poisoning and ingestion accidents. The largest number
of accidents happens in the living/dining room. However, the most serious accidents happen in
the kitchen and on the stairs. Every year more than 67000 children experience an accident in
the kitchen-43000 of these are aged between 0-4 years, 58000 children have accidents on the
stairs (Hamad et al., 2010).
It is based on this background that this research sought to assess the knowledge of parents with
children aged 0-5years on the prevention of home accidents, the causes, challenges faced when
the accidents occur and measures that can be taken for the prevention of these accidents.
1.2 Statement Of The Problem
Injuries among children are an emerging public health problem. Accidental injuries are one of
the leading causes of death, hospitalization, and disability across the World. In developing
countries, injuries are one of the major causes of death in children between the age group of 1
and 5
years. This needs adequate knowledge on the source of the problem, most risk factors to
accidents, and most vulnerable age groups to prevent these accidents effectively. Hence a study
to establish the knowledge associated with home accidents in children aged 0-5 years in the
Bokoko communities will go a long way to help curb down injuries, deaths and disabilities
caused by these accidents
1.3 Rational
Homes are supposed to be the safest place where children can play without parents having to
worry about the safety of their children. Due to current situations like poor housing conditions,
houses not up to the required standard etc, home accidents are becoming a health problem to
our communities. It is the major cause of accidental death in children for many countries. Most
children get disabled and die at an early age as a result of home accidents. Children under the
age of 5 are at high risk of many accidents such as burns, falls, accidental poisonings and
drowning. Studies from four low-income countries have revealed that 65% of childhood burns
had occurred in and around the home. WHO’s report about childhood injuries stated that
injuries among children increase with age between 1 to 5 years (Khasnabis., 2009). In most
situations, children are always exposed to dangers, thus the study Knowledge of parents with
children aged 0-5years on the prevention of home accidents in the Bokoko community.
1.4 Research Objectives
1.4.1 General Objectives
The main objective is to assess the knowledge of parents with children aged 0-5years on the
prevention of home accidents in the Bokoko community.

1.4.2 Specific Objectives
1. To identify the knowledge of parents with children aged 0-5 years on the different types of
home accidents in the Bokoko community.
2. To assess the knowledge of parents with children aged 0-5years on the causes of home
accidents in the Bokoko community.
3. To determine the knowledge of parents with children aged 0-5years on the prevention of
home accidents in the Bokoko communityy
1.5 Research Questions
1. What knowledge do parents with children 0-5years have on the different types of home
accidents in the Bokoko community?
2. What knowledge do parents with children 0-5years have on the causes of home accidents
in the Bokoko community?
3. What knowledge do parents with children 0-5years have on the prevention of home
accidents in the Bokoko community?
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