BACKGROUND: The research discussed in the paper was undertaken for a District Health Authority to aid the development of appropriate policies to achieve the Health of the nation strategic target for reducing the death rate from accidents amongst children under 15. There has been a great deal of quantitative and epidemiological research into childhood accidents which has demonstrated a clear social class gradient in childhood accidents, fatalities and injuries. Less research has been undertaken into the possible reasons for the 'social patterning' of accidents and other aspects of health. Recent sociological research on childhood accidents has adopted a more qualitative approach and studied childhood safety within a family and community context. This approach has been used in the Huddersfield study on parental perspectives on childhood safety. METHODS: In-depth interviews were held with a sample of parents from a high and a low childhood accident rate area. RESULTS: The two focus areas reveal contrasting social profiles. There were significant differences on a number of aspects of parental perceptions on safety and beliefs about accidents, in the two areas. Analysis of accident events revealed that all the families in the high childhood accident rate area sample had children who had had an accident in the past which required hospital treatment. A high proportion of their children had experienced 'near misses'. In contrast, half the families in the low childhood accident rate area had children who had experienced an accident in the past and a much smaller proportion had experienced 'near misses'. All the parents in the sample from both areas developed rules, routines and practices to keep their children safe. The study suggests that there are social class differences in the effective use of these safety rules. CONCLUSION: Qualitatively orientated sociological research into parental perspectives on childhood safety contributes to an understanding of the reasons for the social patterning of childhood accidents. Such information should be of help to professionals in their prevention and safety promotion work.

Accident Prevention↗

PubMed1992

A study of 'inappropriate' attendances to a paediatric Accident and Emergency Department.

'Inappropriate' attendance to Accident and Emergency Departments (AEDs) has been shown in many studies to be a sizeable problem. However, only one previous study has investigated inappropriate attendance to these departments amongst children. In this paper we report an investigation of 'inappropriate' usage of a children's AED in Nottingham. Information was collected relating to a representative sample of children who attended this department during September and October 1989 by interviewing the adults accompanying them to the AED and by examining the children's AED medical records. Using defined criteria, the doctors treating each child within the AED assessed whether their attendance was 'appropriate' to the department. Nearly a third (30.1 per cent) of the patients studied were subsequently considered to be inappropriate attenders to this department. This proportion was highest amongst younger children, those from families of lower social class and those living closest to the hospital. 'Inappropriate' attendance was not found to relate to the availability of general practitioners. The reasons stated for choosing to attend the AED suggested that these attendances resulted from perceptions of the adult(s) accompanying the children to the department. In view of this finding, action is required to correct these perceptions, although it is recognized that this may be difficult to achieve.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1990

Baccalaureate student nurse success prediction: a replication.

The use of group testing that predicts success in understanding and using the nursing process suggests a tempting solution to a vexing problem: selecting those students from an applicant pool who have the potential to successfully complete a nursing program. Failure to replicate or extend previous studies has been recognized as a major limitation in nursing research (Brown, Tanner, & Padrick, 1984). The purpose of this research was to replicate a study using a set of four short test instruments identified as being successful predictors (Kissinger & Munjas, 1982). As part of a larger research project, four successive classes of students admitted to the school of nursing (N = 155) were tested and followed over a 4 1/2-year period with 100% participation. The results were not supportive of the findings in the previous study. The importance of cross validation of prediction studies, as well as the need for periodic sampling of previously validated prediction batteries due to changing elements in selection programs, was demonstrated. The study's outcome and the nursing literature suggest that some configuration of prerequisite grade point average, with all of its limitations and student manipulations, and a required verbal SAT/ACT score may still be the most efficient predictors available to admission committees in schools of nursing.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

Handle with care.

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Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Accident and emergency. False alarm?

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Age Factors↗