Collaborative child home accidental injury prevention: an action research study

Child home accidental injury is a global health issue and promoting child safety is a pediatric nursing challenge worldwide. Planning child home accidental injury prevention requires understanding of factors influencing parents' behavior. Evidence suggests participatory health promotion positively influences behavior, however research with Thai parents is limited. This qualitative, action research study aimed to understand Thai parents’ experiences of participating in a collaborative child home accidental injury prevention programme and its influence on their behavior. Eight parental mother/father couples from one Thai province consented to participate, providing a wide range of data via in-depth individual interviews and self-assessment questionnaires. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts yielded three themes: “collaborative learning”; “parental behavior change”; and “reflective learning extends beyond families”. Participants reported that workshop participation improved their child home accidental injury prevention behavior. This study can inform pediatric nursing, child healthcare practice and child health policy in Thailand and beyond.