Cross-sectional study of education and knowledge of unintentional injury prevention and postinjury response given by the parents or caregivers of children in Malvani slum area of Mumbai Suburban District, India.

BACKGROUND: Child injuries significantly impact health and development, shaping the nation's future. With proper knowledge, parents or primary caregivers can effectively prevent, address, and treat these predictable injuries.

METHODS: Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 373 parents or primary caregivers of children under 14 years old in four randomly selected urban slum areas in Malwani, Mumbai Suburban District.

RESULTS: Only 30% of respondents had basic first aid knowledge, and merely 10% were aware of unintentional injuries, correlating significantly with parental literacy levels. However, most respondents demonstrated appropriate responses.

CONCLUSIONS: Parental or primary caregiver knowledge and response play a critical role in mitigating unintentional child injuries. Increasing awareness among parents and primary caregivers about injuries, their impact on child development and first aid is imperative.