Citation

Roddy ME, O'Rourke KM, Mena K. Int. Q. Community Health Educ. 2004; 23(4): 295-309.

Affiliation

College of Public Health, University of South Florida; University of Texas-Houston School of Public Health at El Paso, USA

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.2190/1K4P-Q3V2-KFQ7-PNWL

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

 This study evaluated prevalence of unsafe storage of toxic products and evaluated the association of demographic-socio-cultural variables with risk of young-child exposure to household poisons. Interviews were conducted with 698 low-income caregivers living on the U.S./Mexico border. Multiple-ordinal regression was used to analyze associations between very unsafe storage of toxic products and household factors. At least one toxic product was accessible to children in 49.4% of households and 18.5% of these households' stored substances very unsafely in that products were accessible and stored either in non-original containers or without childproof caps. At-risk households were associated with U.S.-born caregivers who were single, employed, and live in more U.S. acculturated communities. These homes stored an increased number of toxins and were more likely to house a smoker. U.S./Mexico border childhood poisoning prevention programs should focus on potentially acculturated families with personal and household characteristics akin to the U.S. mores and customs.