Published Paper Details:

Abstract Background: Accidents among under-five children are a major public-health concern and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Mothers play a crucial role in accident prevention through adequate knowledge and safe child-rearing practices. Objectives: (1) To assess the pre-test knowledge of mothers regarding prevention of accidents among under-five children. (2) To evaluate the effectiveness of a Structured Teaching Programme (STP) on knowledge regarding accident prevention. (3) To determine the association between post-test knowledge scores and selected demographic variables. Methods: A pre-experimental one-group pre-test-post-test design was adopted. The study was conducted among 60 mothers of under-five children selected through purposive sampling from a community setting in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. A structured knowledge questionnaire was used for data collection. After pre-testing, an STP covering types of accidents, causes, first aid, and preventive strategies was administered. Post-test data were collected after seven days. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as mean, standard deviation, paired t-test, and chi-square test. Results: The mean pre-test knowledge score was 12.35, which increased to 24.80 in the post-test, indicating a marked improvement after the STP. The calculated t-value (12.64) was greater than the table value at p < 0.05, demonstrating statistically significant improvement. A significant association was observed between post-test knowledge and educational qualification of mothers. Conclusion: The Structured Teaching Programme was highly effective in improving maternal knowledge regarding accident prevention among under-five children. Health professionals should integrate such educational interventions into community health programs to reduce accidental injuries in early childhood.