Child understandings of the causation of childhood burn injuries: Child activity, parental domestic demands, and impoverished settings
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Date
2017
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Wiley
Abstract
Background: Burns are a global public health problem. In South Africa, the rate of paediatric
burn deaths is 5 times higher than other upper middle‐income countries, with concentrations in
impoverished settings. Globally, the majority of research focuses on expert and caregiver descriptions
of burn occurrence, causation, and prevention, with limited consideration of children's perspectives.
This study investigated children's understanding of the causation and prevention of
childhood burns.
Methods: Data were collected from eighteen 10‐ to 11‐year‐old children living in selected
impoverished, fire‐affected neighbourhoods in Cape Town, through 3 isiXhosa focus groups. All
focus groups were transcribed, coded, and analysed for emerging themes through thematic
analysis.
Results: Themes regarding burn causation and risks centred around 4 themes: (a) developmental
limits in context; (b) domestic chores, child capacity, and inability to say “no”; (c) inadequate
supervision and compromised caregiving; and (d) unsafe structures. Child accounts of
prevention pertained to (e) burn injury prevention activities in comprised environments and
emphasized child agency, and upgrading the physical environment.
Conclusion: The children in this study ascribed burn injuries as the consequence of their
developmental limits in the context of poverty, constraints on parental supervision, and unsafe
environments. The children recommended safety education and upgrading their physical environments
as part of burns injury prevention. The child accounts offer useful insights to inform safety
interventions in impoverished settings.
Description
Keywords
Burns, Causation, Child development, Environment, Children
Citation
Titi, N., van Niekerk, A., & Ahmed, R. (2017). Child understandings of the causation of childhood burn injuries: Child activity, parental domestic demands, and impoverished settings. Child: Care, Health And Development, 44(3), 494-500. doi: 10.1111/cch.12484