Environmental risk of unintentional injuries at home for children aged 0–6 years in the urban area of Mianyang, China: A cross-sectional investigation

Abstract

To assess the environmental risk levels and factors associated with unintentional injuries in children’s (0–6 years) homes in Mianyang, China, this cross-sectional study used stratified random sampling and surveyed parents through an online questionnaire from April to June 2024. The survey comprised two parts: demographic information and an environmental scale that assessed unintentional injury risks at home. Family unintentional injury environmental scale scores are presented as median (interquartile range) and were analyzed using the Mann–Whitney rank-sum and Kruskal–Wallis H tests. Influencing factors were examined with a multiple linear regression model. Four hundred and five parents participated in the survey. The overall score for the environmental assessment was 92 (71–98.5) points, with 248 families (61.2%) classified as high risk. Significant differences were observed across demographics: families with children aged 1–3 years had the highest scores (93 [70.5, 99] points; H = 6.061, P  < 0.05) compared with families with children <1 and 4–6 years. Families with grandparents as primary caregivers scored higher (94.5 [88.0, 100.0] points; H = 15.194, P  < 0.001) than non-grandparent caregivers; caregivers with primary school education or less had the highest scores (95.0 [91.0, 99.0] points; H = 39.978, P  < 0.001). Children with a history of unintentional injuries also had higher scores (94.0 [85.0, 99.0] points; Z = −3.219, P  < 0.001) than those without. The χ 2 values for risk level comparisons were 20.039, 24.206, 63.092, and 10.424, respectively (all P  < 0.05). Multiple regression identified residence area, child age, caregiver education, training on injury prevention, and history of injuries as independent factors. Overall, home environments in the urban area of Mianyang predominantly pose a high risk of unintentional injury, with scores varying by demographic characteristics. Enhancing safety education for targeted groups and addressing potential hazards are crucial for reducing unintentional injuries among children.