Follow-up study of a school-based scalds prevention programme

Abstract

This paper describes the follow-up evaluation of a school-based scalds prevention programme designed to teach children about scalds hazards and encourage safe family practices. It involved two classroom sessions and a homework exercise that targeted five safety practices. The programme was taught to 28 classes in 14 schools in Waitakere City, New Zealand by Public Health Nurses (PHNs). Children (n = 116) aged 10–11 years from three of the schools in ethnically diverse, low/middle-income areas were assessed for their knowledge of scalds hazards 1 year after the programme. They recalled a mean of 7.46 out of 10 hazards, which was almost equivalent to children in an earlier evaluation who recalled 7.62 hazards immediately after the teaching. Altogether, 65–79% of children reported that each of the four safety items provided were at least temporarily used as intended, with 29–55% reporting that they were still in use 1 year later. Interviews with children's parents (n = 18) indicated that the majority of their hot water practices were not optimally safe prior to the programme and that many had adopted the suggested practices. While the PHNs were positive about the programme, they suggested teachers could deliver it as part of the school curriculum.