The perceptions of Palestinian health professionals toward factors facilitating or impeding the prevention of home injuries among young children: A qualitative study

Background

Unintentional injuries are a major global health problem that affects children considerably. Such injuries are most common among under-fives and this places a significant burden on healthcare systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In Palestine, there is a paucity of research in this area.

Aim

To explore health professionals’ perceptions regarding factors affecting the prevention of home injuries to children aged below five in Ramallah.

Methods

A qualitative approach was adopted, employing semi-structured interviews with 24 health professionals who worked with children in a primary health care setting. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

Three types of factors that facilitated or impeded the prevention of home injuries emerged: health professional-related factors, i.e. lack of training, workload, and team collaboration; parent-related factors, i.e. low economic status, lack of awareness, and the mothers’ employment status; and environmental factors, i.e. home size and structure, lack of data, low prioritisation among policymakers, lack of funds, and the political situation.

Conclusions

The findings of this study suggest that continuous education and specialised training of healthcare professionals is imperative to their pivotal role in increasing the awareness of parents and children about the prevention of home injuries, mainly in healthcare settings with limited resources such as Palestine.