Citation

Tan NC, Lim NM, Gu K. Asia Pac. J. Public Health 2004; 16(2): 104-108.

Affiliation

SingHealth Polyclinics, Pasir Ris, Singapore. Tan.Ngiap.Chuan@singhealth.com.sg

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, Asia-Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

15624787

Abstract

Infant walkers are widely used by caregivers in Singapore despite being recognized as a household hazard. The study determined the effectiveness of nurse counselling in dissuading caregivers from using the walker. Caregivers of children 4 months of age were recruited and divided into the intervention group (nurse's advice and illustrated pamphlets), a conventional group (questionnaire alone) and a control group (without any intervention in separate polyclinic). The percentage of the caregivers, who used the walkers in each group when their child was 9 months old, was taken as a surrogate indicator of effectiveness of nurse's intervention. The study analyzed 708 caregivers. Fewer caregivers (62.7% intervention vs. 80.4% questionnaire alone vs. 83.0% control) used the walker after nurse's advice with illustrated pamphlets. 8% of the users reported walker-related injuries (n=43). Nurses' counselling could be a simple yet effective method to discourage the use of walkers.