Home Accidents and Associated Factors among Children Less than Five Years Old in Sudan: a Descriptive Study

Background: Accidents mainly occur at home. Children are most vulnerable to accidents and violence at home. Objectives: This study is aimed at identifying the rate of home accidents (burns and falls) among children under the age of five in Sudan and the associated factors. Materials & Methods: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study. It used the survey approach to identify the rate of home accidents among children below the age of five in Sudan and the associated factors from 2012 to 2013. The cluster random sampling method was used to select five of Sudan’s 18 states; subsequently, 60 households were selected from each of the five states. Data was collected from 300 households through a questionnaire and then analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences. Results: The rate of home accidents (burns and falls) among children under the age of five was 13.3%. From the different investigated factors, only tenure of the household showed a significant relation to home accidents. Most accidents were reported from Al Sharafa (Kassala) and Almazroug (North Kurdufan). Conclusion: Home accidents are still a major problem and jeopardize the lives of little ones. Home accidents among children under the age of five are increasing and this issue requires more attention and effort.