Knowledge and attitude of Turkish parents regarding car safety seats for children.
BACKGROUND
One of the major causes of death among children younger than 15 years is vehicular injury. Car safety seats protect children in a crash if they are used correctly. The objective of this study was to assess the level of parental knowledge and their attitudes regarding car safety seats.


METHODS
The survey was conducted in May and June 2007 at Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Research-Training Hospital. Randomly selected parents were asked to complete an anonymous self-administered questionnaire after providing informed consent. Five hundred thirty-two Turkish parents were sampled.


RESULTS
Twenty-eight percent of the parents did not know what a car safety seat was. While 20% of parents reported using a car safety seat, only 10% used them correctly. Car safety seat use was correlated with higher socioeconomic status.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased education of parents regarding the proper use of child safety seats can protect children from potentially fatal injuries. Health care professionals are obligated to give information to parents regarding car safety seats and their proper use. This study should alert planners and policy makers regarding the need to implement educational prevention programs concerning car safety for children in Turkey.
Department of Pediatrics, Bakirköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. caglaes@yahoo.com
Esra
E
Sevketoğlu
Sami
S
Hatipoğlu
Gülbaran
G
Esin
Serdar
S
Oztora
D001336:Automobiles; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015370:Infant Equipment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D012449:Safety; D012622:Seat Belts / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012923:Social Class; D014421:Turkey