Children's hand hygiene behaviour and available facilities: an observational study in Dutch day care centres.

Background: Children attending day care centres are at increased risk of infectious diseases, in particular gastrointestinal and respiratory infections. Hand hygiene of both caregivers and children is an effective prevention measure. This study examined hand hygiene behaviour of children attending day care centres, and describes hygiene facilities at day care centres.

Education, exposure and experience of prehospital teams as quality indicators in regional trauma systems.

Objective: Indicators to measure the quality of trauma care may be instrumental in benchmarking and improving trauma systems. This retrospective, observational study investigated whether data on three indicators for competencies of Dutch trauma teams (i.e.

Effectiveness of web-based tailored advice on parents' child safety behaviors: randomized controlled trial.

Background: Injuries at home are a major cause of death, disability, and loss of quality of life among young children. Despite current safety education, required safety behavior of parents is often lacking. To prevent various childhood disorders, the application of Web-based tools has increased the effectiveness of health promotion efforts.

First-time parents are not well enough prepared for the safety of their infant.

Background: Unintentional falls and poisonings are major causes of death and disability among infants. Although guidelines are available to prevent these injuries, safety behaviours are not performed by parents, causing unnecessary risks. Little is known about safety behaviours of first-time parents and whether they behave according to these guidelines.

Correlates of unsupervised bathing of infants: a cross-sectional study.

Drowning represents the third leading cause of fatal unintentional injury in infants (0-1 years). The aim of this study is to investigate correlates of unsupervised bathing. This cross-sectional study included 1,410 parents with an infant.

Developing process guidelines for trauma care in the Netherlands for severely injured patients: results from a Delphi study.

Background: In organised trauma systems the process of care is the key to quality. Nevertheless, the optimal process of trauma care remains unclear due to lack of or inconclusive evidence. Because monitoring and improving the performance of a trauma system is complex, this study aimed to develop consensus-based process guidelines for trauma care in the Netherlands for severely injured patients.

'BeSAFE', effect-evaluation of internet-based, tailored safety information combined with personal counselling on parents' child safety behaviours: study design of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Injuries in or around the home are the most important cause of death among children aged 0-4 years old. It is also a major source of morbidity and loss of quality of life. In order to reduce the number of injuries, the Consumer Safety Institute introduced the use of Safety Information Leaflets in the Netherlands to provide safety education to parents of children aged 0-4 years.

Why do parents with toddlers store poisonous products safely?

Unintentional poisoning is a major cause of nonfatal injuries in children aged 0-24 months. Associations between self-reported habits on the child safe storage of medication and cleaning products and family, and psychosocial factors were assessed, using a model based on the Protection Motivation Theory. By identifying correlates of safety behavior in this manner, more insight in factors which influence this behavior is obtained.

By how much would limiting TV food advertising reduce childhood obesity?

Background: There is evidence suggesting that food advertising causes childhood obesity. The strength of this effect is unclear. To inform decisions on whether to restrict advertising opportunities, we estimate how much of the childhood obesity prevalence is attributable to food advertising on television (TV).

Individual and population burdens of major trauma in the Netherlands.

Objective: To assess the impact of major trauma on individual and population health.

Methods: Data from a regional trauma registry were used, including all trauma fatalities and nonfatal severely injured patients (injury severity score >15) in 1999 and 2000. The impact of fatalities was expressed in terms of years of life lost (YLL).

Presence and use of stair gates in homes with toddlers (11-18 months old).

Background: The aim of this study was to assess demographic correlates of the presence and use of stair gates in homes with toddlers.

Methods: In 2004, self-administered questionnaires were mailed to 2470 parents with toddlers living in both urban and rural areas (response rate 70.1%).

Unsafe storage of poisons in homes with toddlers.

Background: The objective of this project was to assess the current nature and level of preventive actions that parents take to avoid unintentional poisoning among toddlers (11-18 months old).

Methods: In 2004, we conducted a cross-sectional observational survey with self-administered questionnaires among parents with toddlers (n=1,722). Data were obtained on storage locations of medicines and cleaning products and supervision of children.