Child Drowning Prevention of Households in High-risk Areas, Mueang Sa kaeo District, Sa kaeo Province
Keywords:
Drowning; Children; High Risk Areas; Planning; Environmental ManagementAbstract
This cross-sectional descriptive study investigated drowning prevention in children, and factors associated with prevention in high-risk areas of Mueang Sa Kaeo District, Sa Kaeo Province, Thailand. Data were collected through structured interviews with 382 households. Respondents were primary caregivers of children under 15 years old, who had resided in the areas for at least three years. Data analysis using descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentages, means, and standard deviations. Inferential statistics, Chi-square and Fisher's exact test, were analyzed, with significance set at P < 0.05.
Results revealed that 66.0% of households exhibited a low overall level of drowning prevention practices. These were observed in planning (64.7%), training and information monitoring (68.1%), children’s risk behaviors (73.6%), and environmental safety management (71.7%). Caregivers’ knowledge regarding drowning prevention was moderate (53.1%), while prevention skills were high (57.3%), but situational awareness remained low (87.2%). Statistically significant factors associated with drowning prevention practices included caregivers' perception of drowning prevention, average household income, having a water reservoir nearby, and having children aged 6–14 years (P < 0.05). The study suggests enhancing caregivers’ knowledge and first aid skills through practical community-based training, installing barriers to improve household environments and providing child safety equipment, and promoting collaborative community networks to disseminate knowledge and prevention behaviors.
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