Parental poison prevention practices and their relationship with perceived toxicity: cross-sectional study.
OBJECTIVE
To describe poison prevention practices for a range of substances and explore the relationship between prevention practices and perceptions of toxicity.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study using a validated postal questionnaire.


METHODS
Parents with children aged 12-35 months on 23 health visitors' caseloads.


METHODS
Areas of various levels of deprivation in Nottingham, UK.


METHODS
Possession and storage of substances, putting substances away immediately after use, and perceptions of toxicity.


RESULTS
Dishwasher tablets (68%), toilet cleaner (71%), bleach (74%), oven cleaner (78%), oral contraceptives (80%), and essential oils (81%) were least likely to be stored safely. Children's painkillers (69%), cough medicine (72%), and essential oils (77%) were least likely to be put away immediately after use. More than 50% of parents perceived antibiotics and oral contraceptives as harmful in small quantities and cough medicines as harmful only in large quantities. Six substances perceived by parents to be more harmful were more likely to be put away immediately after use. Parents perceiving dishwasher tablets (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.05 to 3.66), essential oils (OR 2.80, 95% CI 1.35 to 5.81), turpentine (OR 14.54, 95% CI 2.75 to 76.95), and rat/ant killer (OR 15.33, 95% CI 2.01 to 116.82) as more harmful were more likely to store these substances safely.


CONCLUSIONS
Parents' perceptions of toxicity of substances were sometimes inaccurate. Perceived toxicity was associated with putting substances away immediately after use for six substances and with safe storage for four substances. The effect of addressing perceptions of toxicity on poison prevention practices requires evaluation.
Patel
B
B
Division of Primary Care, University Park, Nottingham, UK. bakula.patel@nottingham.ac.uk
Groom
L
L
Prasad
V
V
Kendrick
D
D
D000061:Accidents, Home / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004356:Drug Storage / Q000592:standards; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000506:poisoning*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006795:Household Products / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D011041:Poisoning / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011204:Poverty Areas; D012449:Safety / Q000592:standards; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
D015386:Hazardous Substances