Promoting child safety in primary care: a cluster randomised controlled trial to reduce baby walker use

Baby walkers are commonly used items of nursery equipment, but cause more than 3000 injuries each year in the UK. There is currently little evidence regarding the effectiveness of interventions in primary care to reduce walker use.

To evaluate the effectiveness of an educational package provided by midwives and health visitors to reduce baby walker possession and use.

Cluster randomised controlled trial.

Sixty-four general practices in Nottingham and North Nottinghamshire, UK.

An educational package aimed at discouraging mothers-to-be from obtaining and using a walker was delivered by midwives and health visitors to 1174 mothers-to-be of at least 28 weeks gestation. The control arm received usual care. Primary outcome measures were the possession and use of a walker. Secondary outcome measures included the frequency and duration of walker use, knowledge and attitudes towards walkers, plans to use a walker with future children, recommending a walker to a friend, and use of stair gates and fire guards.

Intervention arm participants were significantly less likely to own (odds ratio [OR] = 0.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.43 to 0.93) or to use a walker (OR = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.08 to 0.84). They were significantly less likely to plan to use a walker with their next child (OR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.31 to 0.86) or to agree that walkers keep children safe (OR = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.16 to 0.78). There was some evidence that they were less likely to recommend a walker to a friend (OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.28 to 0.91) or to agree that they help children to walk more quickly (OR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.29 to 0.95).

An educational package delivered by midwives and health visitors was effective in reducing baby walker possession and use. Providers of primary healthcare services should include baby walker education in their injury prevention strategy and child health promotion programme.