Khalid Alyafei MD Pediatric Emergency –Pediatrics-HMC Prevalence of Awareness of Car Seat Use Amongst Parents in State of Qatar. A Cross-sectional study Khalid Alyafei MD Pediatric Emergency –Pediatrics-HMC

Acknowledgment Dr. Ameer Aslam Dr. Sameera Imanullah Dr. Shadi Othman Dr. Mohammed Qusad Dr. Bashir Yousef Hima Bindu Karanam Madhavi Lalitha Jinugu Special Thanks to PEC Staffs

Fact MVC is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in children; 54% of deaths among children in Qatar are caused by MVC In (48kmh) crash, an unrestrained child would be thrown forward with a force 30 to 60 times their body weight. Child safety seats can reduce fatal injury Seven out of ten car seats in USA have been found to be improperly installed.

Background 220 people lose their life & 550 are seriously injured each year in Qatar because of MVC. National Traffic Safety Committee (NTSC) have been established on 2010; focus on Developing strategies about road safety and improving public awareness about safety measures related to road safety. Currently there is no enforcement about the using of car seats for children, which put them at higher risk for injuries.

Objective To evaluate parents knowledge toward using car seat for their infants. Background: Traumatic injury remains one of the major leading causes for mortality and morbidity in children worldwide. The aim of this study is to describe an epidemiologic profile of pediatric and adolescent traumatic injuries in Qatar. Methods: A retrospective analysis for all pediatric and adolescent patients admitted with severe traumatic injury to the Section of Trauma at Hamad General Hospital between January 2011 - December 2011. Results: A total of 163 children were enrolled in the study with a mean age of 9.6±5.9 years. The mean Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) on presentation to Emergency Department (ED) was 13.4±3.8 days. Injuries were more prevalent at ages (1-5 years) and (14-18 years). Fall and MVCs are the major MOI among children (35% for each). The mean initial ISS was 13.9± 6.6. The median length of stay (LOS) in hospital was 6 days ranged from 1 -60 days. The LOS was correlated respectively with ISS (r= 0.27, P < 0.001) , age (r=0.27, P < 0.001) , GCS/scene (r= −0.30, P <0.001), GCS/ED (r= −0.53, P <0.001) and Injury Severity Score (ISS) (r= −0.53, P <0.001) . No significant association was observed between ISS and gender, mechanism of injury or type trauma. Head and long bone injuries were the commonest sustained injuries in children (34% and 18%, respectively). Three children died, one has quadriplegia and none of our patients was reported to use safety measures. Conclusion: traumatic injuries are not uncommon and show 2 peaks among children in Qatar. However, none of the cases were reported to use safety measures. The importance of increasing public awareness toward safety measures and injury prevention Programme is warranted. Read More: http://www.qscience.com/doi/abs/10.5339/qfarf.2013.BIOP-0140

Methodology A prospective cross sectional survey questionnaires during the period (April- August 2015). Parents who visited PEC and were waiting for their turn to be seen, have been approached with the survey questionnaires by the research assistant. All filled questionnaires answers have been collected and analyzed by using SPSS

Results A total of 212 parents agreed to participate in the survey Father: Mother= 2:3 Qatari: non Qatari= 1:9 131 (62%) reported that they have car seat 80% of them have higher education level (university) 12% Parents have children with chronic illness

Results > 67% of them believe the important of using car seats for all ages in children. 42% doesn’t read the infant’s car seat booklet instruction. > 50 % do not know how to use car seat.

Percentage of Car Seat Availability 131 Have Car Seat

Percentage of Parents Level of Education's & Having Car Seat

Percentage of Having Car Seat in Relation to Monthly Income

Frequency of Using Car Seat (Percentage)

How Important Car Seat?

Parents knowledge about using Car Seat

Where to Install the Car Seat?

People Believes about Putting infants in Mother Lap is better than Car Seats

Minimum Age Allowed to Sit in the Front Seat Percentage of Responders

Level of Parent’s Education And reading the Safety Booklet for the car seat

Conclusion Car seat is important toll to use to ensure your child safety during transportation. 131/212 (62%) are using car seat, though only 60% of them are using the car seat frequently. Level of education and financial income doesn’t correlate significantly with the having car seat. Despite 80% reported knowledge of implementing car seat, 80% reported that it can be implement in front seat passenger.