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Does time spent in child care influence risk for unintentional injury?

David C Schwebel1, Carl M Brezausek, Jay Belsky

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, 1300 University Boulevard, CH 415, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, USA. schwebel@uab.edu

Journal of Pediatric Psychology
|February 10, 2006
PubMed

Insights

More time in childcare slightly reduces unintentional injury risk for children. Childcare environments may be safer than homes, influencing this protective effect.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric safety research
  • Child development studies
  • Public health interventions

Background:

  • Unintentional injuries are a leading cause of harm in early childhood.
  • Understanding factors influencing injury risk is crucial for prevention.
  • Early child care settings are common environments for young children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine how the amount and quality of early child care affect children's risk of unintentional injury.
  • To identify specific characteristics of child care that may mitigate injury risk.

Main Methods:

  • A diverse cohort of 1,225 US children was followed from birth to first grade.
  • Quantity and quality of child care were assessed from birth to kindergarten entry.
  • Unintentional injuries were tracked from 6 months to first grade, with covariates controlled.

Main Results:

  • Increased time in nonparental child care was associated with a slightly lower risk of unintentional injury.
  • This association remained significant after controlling for child, family, parent, and child care quality factors.

Conclusions:

  • Childcare environments might offer greater safety compared to typical home settings for preschoolers.
  • Nonrandom attendance in child care could also contribute to observed injury risk differences.
Abstract

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