Parents of fatally injured children discuss taking part in prevention campaigns: an exploratory study

This qualitative study explores how a small group of parents who have lost children to accidental injuries feel about taking part in prevention campaigns. Prospective participants were identified through a state medical examiner's office. Six mothers and 5 fathers of children who had died 3-5 years earlier agreed to be interviewed. All participants thought that it was appropriate to approach bereaved parents about such opportunities, after the most disabling phase of grief had subsided. Yet they raised cognitive, emotional, and practical barriers to engaging in prevention work. The appealing aspects of becoming a safety advocate included preventing emotional and physical injuries to others, as well as advancing their own recovery. It is very possible that the volunteers we spoke with held more positive views on participation than the many mothers and fathers who chose not to participate in our study. Nonetheless, their comments give us our first insights into how collaborating on prevention may feel to those for whom prevention has failed.