Reducing Fall Risk in Children Aged 0-4 Years through Caregiver Education

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to determine if utilization of a home fall risk assessment tool in combination with education provided to caregivers of children aged 0-4 years would lead to improved caregiver knowledge of fall risk factors.Background. Over 600,000 US children 0-4 years are treated each year in an emergency department for an unintentional fall. Trauma to a young child’s brain is more likely to result in long-term impairment and residual effects. Despite advances in brain injury prevention, the rate of traumatic brain injuries has continued to rise in recent years. To prevent injury from occurring, anticipatory guidance should be provided in the primary care setting to increase knowledge of and adherence to injury prevention recommendations. Methods. This project utilized a quantitative, pretest/posttest, single-group design to assess for knowledge change before and after a short educational intervention provided to primary caregivers of children 0-4 years of age. Participants were recruited from a convenience sample of 10 caregivers who presented to the El Rio Congress Pediatrics Clinic. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results. A total of 10 eligible participants consented to participate in the study, and all 10 completed the study in its entirety: home fall risk assessment tool, pretest survey, presentation, and posttest survey. Data analysis revealed a statistically significant increase in caregiver knowledge of risk factors following the intervention. All participants responded positively that the educational session provided practical information and improved their self-perceived ability to make changes to the home environment. Conclusion. The evidence-based educational intervention on falls prevention effectively increased primary caregivers’ knowledge of fall risk factors for children aged 0-4 years and methods to reduce falls in the home. This intervention demonstrates practical applicability at the clinical site and shows promise in reducing fall-related injuries for the clinic’s patient population.