Preventing Unintentional Injuries to Children Under 5 in Their Homes: Palestinian Mothers’ Perspectives

Abstract

Unintentional injuries are a growing global public health problem, causing mortality, morbidity, and disability among children. The rates of injuries were highest among children under the age of 5 years, and this forms a significant burden on health care systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Mothers have a major role to play in the prevention of home injuries, as expressed in many international reports. There is a paucity of research in this area regarding Palestine. Therefore, this study aimed to explore mothers’ perceptions about the prevention of home injuries among children aged under 5 and the potential factors that might influence their injury prevention practices. A qualitative approach was followed, whereby 12 mothers from three settings (rural, refugee camp, and urban) in Ramallah District were purposively selected to participate in this study. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and the derived data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The study findings suggested that there are many similarities between the perspectives of mothers within the three settings. Most of them had a positive attitude toward preventing home injuries. However, many environmental factors affected their practice, including low economic status, the physical environment of the house, the social environment (e.g., fatalism), and the political environment. The study concluded that the causes of in-home injuries in Ramallah District are embedded within the families’ social and economic status and are influenced by the surrounding environment. Consequently, it supports the use of multiple intervention strategies within a holistic approach that acknowledges these factors to help prevent future home injuries.