Disability and home hazards and safety practices in US households.
BACKGROUND
Individuals with disabilities have an elevated risk of residential injury. However, the prevalence of home hazards and safety practices among households where an individual with a disability resides is unknown.


METHODS
This study examined patterns of home hazards and safety practices among 1003 households across the United States in 2002.


RESULTS
Households with at least 1 resident with a disability had a lower prevalence of household hazards than those without a resident with a disability, including living in a 2-story dwelling (34.6% vs 50.7%) and having stairs inside the home (48.1% vs 58.4%). They were more likely to implement fall prevention strategies, such as handrails or grab bars in the bathroom (40.4% vs 21.8%) and mats or nonskid strips in the tub or shower (71.7% vs 61.5%).


CONCLUSIONS
There is room for improvement in safety practices among households where an individual with a disability resides.
University of North Carolina Injury Prevention Research Center, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7505, USA. cvladutiu@unc.edu
Catherine J
CJ
Vladutiu
Carri
C
Casteel
Stephen W
SW
Marshall
Kara S
KS
McGee
Carol W
CW
Runyan
Tamera
T
Coyne-Beasley
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000061:Accidents, Home / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012449:Safety; D017751:Safety Management