Safety Perception and Behaviors of Mothers with School Age Children

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the safety perception and behaviors of mothers with school age children. Method: The subjects were 265 mothers of third graders in one elementary school located in metropolitan Seoul area. Framingham safety survey were used to guide the development of a self administered questionnaire for mothers. The questionnaire were sent home at school and the children returned them to their class teachers. Results: Among 265 mothers, 62 mothers (23.4%) had experience of visiting hospitals because of accidents and 201 mothers (75.8%) had no opportunities on safety education. Mothers with education higher than high school graduation showed more safety behaviors. Also, mothers having the experience of safety education showed higher scores on safety behaviors and mothers with the experience of hospital visits related to accidents showed low scores on safety behaviors. In the practice of safety behaviors, it showed high score to the traffic safety, followed by the home safety, child supervision, the safety from fire and explosion, the safety from electric devices, the safety from burn, and the safety from medicines. Conclusion: Mothers' overall practice on safety were poor. Based on these results, it is necessary to provide more safety education for mothers with school age childrenope