Understanding unintentional injury risk in young children II. The contribution of caregiver supervision, child attributes, and parent attributes

Objective To identify child and parent attributes that relate to caregiver supervision and examine how these factors influence child-injury risk. Methods Mothers completed diary records about supervision of their young child (2-5 years) when at home. Standardized questionnaires provided information about child attributes, maternal attributes, and children's history of injuries. Results Correlations revealed that child attributes and parent attributes related both to actual maternal supervision and child-injury scores. Regression analyses to predict injury scores revealed child-temperament factors alone predicted all levels of severity (minor, moderately severe, and medically attended), but parent supervision also contributed to predict medically attended injuries. Conclusions Both child and parent factors influenced caregiver's supervision of young children at home and related to child-injury risk. For medically attended injuries, child attributes and parent supervision both predicted risk, whereas for less serious injuries, child factors alone determined risk.