The high rates of unintentional injuries among children under 5 in home environments have been attributed to social, physical, and economic drivers, especially in low-resource communities. This research aimed at exploring drivers of unintentional injuries among children under 5 in home environments using photovoice, a community-based participatory research approach.
10 mothers were trained and given digital cameras to take photos of what they perceived to be risky situations for children under 5. The participants met fortnightly over 8 weeks to analyse and discuss their photographs. The discussions and photographs were analysed using conventional content analysis to develop subthemes and major themes.
Mothers identified falls, burns, cuts, poisoning and drowning as the main injury hazards in their community. Children’s and parents’ behaviours and practices were identified as a cause of unintentional injuries in children under 5. Social determinants of health and inequities, including economic issues, lack of space, unsafe play areas and biomass energy for cooking and lighting, were also highlighted. Gender roles and perceptions of injury risks by parents were mentioned during the photograph discussions. Mothers also reflected on how the photovoice approach empowered households and communities to recognise and deal with injury risks.
This community-based participatory research methodology provided the much-needed in-depth exploration of the social, physical and economic drivers of injury risks among children under 5 in a low-resourced setting in Uganda while empowering mothers to prevent drivers of unintentional injury among their <5.