TITLE:
Epidemiological Profile of Domestic Accidents among Children Aged 0 to 15 Years in Libreville
AUTHORS:
Edmée Mintsa Mi Nkama, Fifi Loembe, Larissa Tecle Midili, Angela Mekame Meye, Raïssa Koumba Maniaga, Aude Lembet Mikolo, Steeve Minto’o Rogombe, Eliane Kuissi Kamgaing, Jean Koko
KEYWORDS:
Domestic Accidents, Child, Fall, Libreville
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
Vol.15 No.1,
January
13,
2025
ABSTRACT: Domestic accidents (DA) are common in children and responsible for high morbidity and mortality in developed countries. Objective: This work aimed to describe the epidemiological profile of AD in children aged 0 to 15 years in Libreville. Materials and Methods: All children aged 0 to 15 years who were victims of unintentional trauma occurring at home or in its immediate surroundings were included. We studied the mother’s age, family situation, socioeconomic level, type of housing, age and sex of the child, characteristics of AD and their management. Results: The majority of mothers lived in an intermediate dwelling (80.6%). They were married (37.1%), middle managers (58.2%) and of average socioeconomic level (60.5%). The average age of the mothers was 39.9 ± 11.4 years. Families with more than three children were most exposed (39.2%) to the occurrence of AD. The average age of the children was 6.5 ± 3.3 years with a male predominance. The sex ratio was 1.8. The most common ADs were falls (34.7%), followed by cuts (22.3%) and burns (17.7%). Wounds (54.4%), followed by burns (33%) and fractures (5.1%) were the main types of injuries. The upper limbs were the most affected body part (33.9%) followed by the lower limbs (30.1%) and the head (27.3%). The yard was the preferred location for ADs to occur (51.1%), and particularly during the holiday period (48.4%). The risk factors related to the occurrence of AD were age, socioeconomic level, number of children and type of housing. Care was provided at home in 51.9% of cases. Conclusion: The occurrence of AD in children is not negligible; hence the need to implement preventive measures to minimize their frequency.