title: Home safety practices in an urban low-income population: level of agreement between parental self-report and observed behaviors.
abstract: Home-related injuries are overrepresented in children from low-income households. The objectives of this study were to determine frequencies of home safety behaviors and the level of agreement between parental self-report and observed safety practices in low-income homes. In a prospective, interventional home injury prevention study of 49 low-income families with children <5 years old, a trained home visitor administered baseline parental home safety behavior questionnaires and assessments. There was high agreement between caregiver self-report and home visitor observation for lack of cabinet latch (99%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 88%-99%) and stair gate use (100%, 95% CI = 88-100%). There was lower agreement for the safe storage of cleaning supplies (62%, 95% CI = 46%-75%), sharps (74%, 95% CI = 59%-85%), and medicines/vitamins (83%, 95% CI = 69%-92%) because of the overreporting of safe practices. Self-reports of some home safety behaviors are relatively accurate, but certain practices may need to be verified by direct assessment.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA 02115, USA. lois.lee@childrens.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Lois K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Taranjeev
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Walia
authors.forename: Peter W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Forbes
authors.forename: Stavroula K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Osganian
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Samuels
authors.forename: Joanne E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Mooney
mesh_terms: D000056:Accident Prevention / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000061:Accidents, Home / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017028:Caregivers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D011203:Poverty; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011482:Protective Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012449:Safety; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population