BACKGROUND: The objective of this project was to assess the current nature and level of preventive actions that parents take to avoid unintentional poisoning among toddlers (11-18 months old). METHODS: In 2004, we conducted a cross-sectional observational survey with self-administered questionnaires among parents with toddlers (n=1,722). Data were obtained on storage locations of medicines and cleaning products and supervision of children. RESULTS: Overall, 50.1% of the toddlers were exposed to unsafe storage of possible poisonous products in the home. Parents were more likely to store medicines safely than cleaning products, and products were most often stored unsafely in the kitchen, where children were left unattended most often (69%). Households with one child were associated with unsafe storage of both medicines and cleaning products. Lower educational level of the mother and unemployment of the mother were both associated with safe storage of medicines. Mother's ethnicity, the child's ability to walk, and the education level of the father were associated with storage of cleaning products. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study are an important first step for the development of effective interventions to reduce unintentional poisoning in toddlers' homes.
BACKGROUND: The objective of this project was to assess the current nature and level of preventive actions that parents take to avoid unintentional poisoning among toddlers (11-18 months old). METHODS: In 2004, we conducted a cross-sectional observational survey with self-administered questionnaires among parents with toddlers (n=1,722). Data were obtained on storage locations of medicines and cleaning products and supervision of children. RESULTS: Overall, 50.1% of the toddlers were exposed to unsafe storage of possible poisonous products in the home. Parents were more likely to store medicines safely than cleaning products, and products were most often stored unsafely in the kitchen, where children were left unattended most often (69%). Households with one child were associated with unsafe storage of both medicines and cleaning products. Lower educational level of the mother and unemployment of the mother were both associated with safe storage of medicines. Mother's ethnicity, the child's ability to walk, and the education level of the father were associated with storage of cleaning products. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study are an important first step for the development of effective interventions to reduce unintentional poisoning in toddlers' homes.
Authors: Mirjam E J van Beelen; Tinneke M J Beirens; Mirjam K Struijk; Paul den Hertog; Anke Oenema; Eduard F van Beeck; Hein Raat Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2010-08-09 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: Mirjam E J van Beelen; Tinneke M J Beirens; Paul den Hertog; Eduard F van Beeck; Hein Raat Journal: PLoS One Date: 2013-03-06 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Mirjam Elisabeth Johanna van Beelen; Ineke Vogel; Tinneke Monique Jozef Beirens; Gitte Caroline Kloek; Paul den Hertog; Monique Désirée van der Veen; Hein Raat Journal: JMIR Res Protoc Date: 2013-02-11
Authors: Mirjam E J van Beelen; Eduard F van Beeck; Paul den Hertog; Tinneke M J Beirens; Hein Raat Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2013-03-04 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Mirjam Elisabeth Johanna van Beelen; Tinneke Monique Jozef Beirens; Paul den Hertog; Eduard Ferdinand van Beeck; Hein Raat Journal: J Med Internet Res Date: 2014-01-24 Impact factor: 5.428