School-based scalds prevention: reaching children and their families

Preventing children's thermal injuries requires changes to both the home environment and the behaviour of family members. Two pilot studies were undertaken of a school-based programme that taught children aged 7-11 years about burns and scalds hazards, and encouraged changes to the home environment and family practices through a take-home exercise. Both studies took place at ethnically diverse schools from low/middle-income areas of Waitakere City, New Zealand. Study 1 involved 55 children who received the programme, and Study 2 involved 64 children who received the programme and 71 children from a control school. The children's ability to identify the burns and scalds hazards illustrated in a series of pictures was measured before and after the programme. Children who received the programme showed considerable improvement in hazard identification at the post-test, while children at the control school showed minimal improvement. The take-home exercise was completed by 85% of the children and their families in Study 1, and 61% of the participants from the intervention school in Study 2. In both studies families reported positive safety changes as a result of the programme. The programme appeared equally effective with all the ethnic groups involved. Future development of the programme is discussed.