Table 2 Characteristics of Included Studies

Table 2 Characteristics of included studies

Author / Population / Intervention / Setting / No. per arm / Outcomes and follow-up period / Data included in meta-analyses and quality assessment
Randomised controlled trials
Kendrick,[23] UK, 2005 / Women of at least 28weeks gestation registered at participating general practices / I=midwife and health visitor advice to discourage walker use, information cards, fridge magnets, checklists for use in child health surveillance visit at 3–4months. Encouraging use of fireguards amongst walker users ♪C=usual care / Clinic / I=539 ♪C=635 / Fitted fireguard measured when child 9months of age / IPD ♪A=Y, B=N, FU=Y
Watson,[11] UK, 2005 / Families with children <5 years on caseloads of health visitors in deprived areas / I=health visitor safety consultation, free fitted fireguards and smoke alarms ♪C=usual care / Clinic / I=1711 ♪C=1717 / Functional smoke alarms and fitted fireguard measured at 12months ♪Medically attended thermal injuries measured at 24months / IPD ♪A=Y, B=N, FU=Y (injury outcomes) ♪N (prevention practices)
Posner,[25] 2004 / Caregivers of children <5 years attending ED for home injury / I=home safety counselling by trained lay personnel, free home safety kit including bathtub spout covers and bath water thermometer + home safety literature ♪C=home safety literature / Hospital / I=69 ♪C=67 / Hot drinks/food out of reach measured at 10weeks / IPD ♪A=Y, B=Y, FU=N
Sznajder,[26]France, 2003 / Socioeconomically disadvantaged families, with medical or psychological difficulties which place them at high risk / I=home safety counselling by health professionals, safety leaflets, free home safety kit including smoke alarm ♪C=home safety counselling + safety leaflets / Home / I=50 ♪C=50 / Functional smoke alarm, possession of fire extinguisher and stores matches out of reach measured at 2months / IPD ♪A=Y, B=N, FU=Y
DiGuiseppi,[12] UK, 2002 / Households in council rented accommodation with children 16 years / I=free smoke alarm, and offer of free fitting, reminder to change batteries ♪C=no smoke alarm / Home / I=45 ♪C=32 / Functional smoke alarms measured over 18months / IPD ♪A=Y, B=Y, FU=N
Gielen,[27] USA, 2002 / 1st and 2nd year paediatric residents and their patient–parent dyads ♪Low income population of parents of children aged 0–6months / I=safety counselling by paediatricians + referral to child safety centre (which offered discounted safety equipment) + home visit ♪C=safety counselling by paediatricians + referral to child safety centre / Home / I=94 ♪C=93 / Hot water temperature <49C and functional smoke alarm measured at 12months / Summary ♪A=U, B=U, FU=N
Hendrickson,[28] USA, 2005 / Mothers with children aged 1–4 years, predominantly Mexican/Mexican American / I=safety counselling from researchers, plus identification of home hazards + safety education + free safety equipment including smoke alarms or new batteries if smoke alarm already in situ and fire extinguisher ♪C=none of the above / Home / I=41 ♪C=41 / Functional smoke alarm, possession of fire extinguisher, matches stored out of reach and hot drinks out of reach measured at 6weeks / IPD ♪A=N, B=N, FU=Y
Nansel,[29] USA, 2002 / Parents of children aged 6–20months attending well child check / I=computer generated tailored safety advice in well child clinic ♪C=computer generated generic safety advice in well child clinic / Clinic / N=213 at baseline, not specified by arm ♪
At
follow-up:
♪I=85 ♪C=89 / Hot water temperature ≤48.9C and hot drinks/food out of reach measured at 3weeks / IPD ♪A=Y, B=U, FU=Y
King,[30]USA, 2001 / Children <8 years attending A&E for injury or medical complaint / I=home safety inspection + information on correcting any deficiencies, discount vouchers for safety equipment (items not specified), demonstrations of use of safety devices + information on injury prevention provided by researcher ♪C=home safety inspection and safety pamphlet / Home / I=601 ♪C=571 / Stores matches or lighters out of reach, hot water temperature <54C, functional smoke alarm and possession of fire extinguisher measured at 12months / Summary ♪A=Y, B=Y, FU=Y
Johnston,[31] USA, 2000 / Families of children aged 4–5 years enrolled in Head Start programme which is provided to socioeconomically disadvantaged children / I=home safety inspection + educational material + free smoke alarms and batteries provided by educational paraprofessionals ♪C=home safety inspection + written information only / Home / I=258 ♪C=160 / Functional smoke alarm measured at 3months / Summary ♪A=N, B=N, FU=Y
Clamp,[8] UK, 1998 / Families with children <5 years registered at one GP surgery / I=general practitioner safety advice, leaflets and low cost safety equipment including smoke alarms and fireguards ♪C=usual care / Clinic / I=83 ♪C=82 / Functional smoke alarm and fitted fireguard measured at 6weeks / IPD ♪A=Y, B=N, FU=Y
Waller,[32] New Zealand, 1993 / A random sample of Dunedin area children taken from birth records / I=free plumbing advice, home visit to measure tap water temperature, discuss dangers of hot water in the home and how to reduce tap water temperature provided by nurses ♪C1=no home visit ♪C2=no home visit and no baseline data collection / Home / I=54 ♪C1=56 ♪C2=50 / Hot water temperature <60C measured at 4months / Summary ♪A=U, B=U, FU=Y
Katcher,[33] USA, 1989 / Consecutive paediatric clinic clients randomised to two groups / I=counselling by paediatrician plus free tap water thermometer and tap water safety literature ♪C=counselling and tap water safety literature / Clinic / I=344 ♪C=342 / Hot water temperature <54.4C measured at 1 month / Summary ♪A=U, B=U, FU=N
Barone,[34] USA, 1988*† / Parents of toddlers from five parenting classes / I=slides, handouts on burn prevention, free bath water thermometer, usual safety education ♪C=usual safety education / Clinic / Number randomised not specified.
At follow-up:
♪I=41 ♪C=38 / Functional smoke alarm and safe hot water temperature (temperature not specified) measured at 2weeks / Summary ♪A=N, B=N, FU=N
Williams,[35] USA, 1988* / Pregnant women attending prenatal classes / I=1 hour lecture, handouts on burn prevention, usual safety education ♪C=usual safety education / Clinic / n=165 at baseline, not specified by arm / Safe hot water temperature (temperature not specified) measured at 1 month / Summary ♪A=U, B=N, FU=U
Kelly,[36] USA, 1987 / Parents of 6month old children attending primary care centre for well child care / I=3 part safety course at well child care visits ♪C=routine safety education / Clinic / I=85 ♪C=86 / Hot water temperature <52C and matches stored out of reach measured at 7months / Summary ♪A=U, B=Y, FU=N
Thomas,[37] USA, 1984 / Parents attending well-baby classes / I=standard information and literature plus a lecture on burn prevention provided by nurse practitioners, leaflets on protecting home against fire, adjusting hot water settings and cost of smoke alarms at local stores, plus $7 discount coupon for a smoke alarm ♪C=standard information and literature / Clinic / I=29 ♪C=26 / Hot water temperature <54.4C measured at 4–6weeks / Summary ♪A=N, B=U, FU=Y
Non-randomised controlled trials
Kendrick,[38] UK, 1999 / Children aged 3–12months registered at 36 GP practices / I=health visitor safety advice at child health surveillance, low cost equipment including fireguards and smoke alarms, home safety checks and first aid training ♪C=usual care / Clinic / I=1100 ♪C=1019 / Functional smoke alarm, fitted fireguard, hot water temperature <54C, hot drinks out of reach, stores matches out of reach and medically attended thermal injuries measured at 25months / IPD ♪B=N, FU=Y (injury outcomes) N (prevention practices), Bal=Y
Matthews,[39] USA, 1988† / 26mothers of toddlers recruited from clinics, day care centres / I=home safety inspection, video, handouts, modelling re: safety and managing dangerous child behaviour and free hot water thermometers ♪C=home visit with video, handouts, modelling on language simulation / Home / n=26 at baseline, not specified by arm. At follow-up: ♪I=12 ♪C=12 / Functional smoke alarm measured at 2weeks / Summary ♪B=U, FU=Y, Bal=U
Miller,[40] USA, 1982 / Children attending for routine paediatrician healthcare / I=pamphlet and a one minute educational message by paediatrician, plus low cost smoke alarm ♪C=usual care / Clinic / I=120 ♪C=120 / Functional smoke alarm measured at 6weeks / Summary ♪B=U, FU=Y, Bal=Y
Controlled before-and-after studies
Georgieff,[10] UK, 2004 / Children under 3 from five deprived wards / I1=awareness raising campaign including leaflets, a logo, a radio advert campaign, a bus advertising campaign, burns and scalds roadshows, free bath water thermometers and hot tap water temperature testing by researchers ♪I2=I1 + free thermostatic mixer valve for baths ♪C=none of the above / Community / n=174 at baseline, not specified by arm. At follow-up: ♪I1=31 ♪I2=26 ♪C=35 / Hot water temperature <49C. Follow-up period not reported / Summary ♪B=U, FU=N, Bal=N
Mock,[41] Mexico, 2003 / Upper socioeconomic stratum: two private clinics ♪Middle stratum: two clinics charging low fees ♪Lower stratum: subsidised clinics / I1 (upper): lectures and demonstrations lasting 6hours. Use of audio visual material including The Injury Prevention Program (TIPP) ♪I2 (middle): as above but some participants also received clinic-based counselling ♪I3 (lower): half hour household visits by nurses and some audio visual materials also used ♪C=standard injury prevention counselling / Clinic / n=1124 at baseline, not specified by arm. At follow-up: ♪n=625, not specified by arm / Functional smoke alarm measured at 6months / Summary ♪B=N, FU=N, Bal=N
Ytterstad,[42] Norway, 1995, 1998[50] / Children <5 years in the city of Harstad, (intervention) and Trondheim (control) / I=promotion of cooker guards in electrical stores, mass media campaign to lower tap water thermostat to 55C, health education, parental counselling and home assessment ♪C=none of the above / Community / I=23000
C=134000 / Medically attended thermal injuries measured over 10 years / Summary ♪B=U, FU=Y, Bal=N
Petridou,[24] Greece, 1997 / Population of two Greek islands, Naxos (intervention) and Spetses (control) / I=community intervention including safety seminars for parents, workshops with teachers promoting school safety, courses with primary and secondary school children on safety and resuscitation, leaflets; plus lay home visitors, weekly visits to discuss home safety in households with children (18 years) ♪C=none of the above / Community / I=172 households ♪C=177 households / Possession of fire extinguisher measured at 20months / IPD ♪B=N, FU=Y, Bal=Y

*Data extracted from DiGuiseppi and Roberts.[15]

†Data extracted from DiGuiseppi.[14]

IPD, individual participant data; A, adequate allocation concealment; B, blinded outcome assessment; FU, follow-up on at least 80% participants in each arm; Bal, confounders do not differ by >10% between treatment arms; Y, yes; N, no; U, unclear.