The Role of Proximal Maternal Supervision in Children's Risk for Injury in a Low-Income Sample.

Objective: This study examined the role of proximal maternal supervision in children's injury occurrence and severity among low-income families.

Methods: We used a case crossover design and collected data about injury and control conditions for children aged 1-5 in 50 low-income families.

Results: Higher levels of mothers' proximity to children predicted lower likelihood of injury occurrence. When controlling for child activity level, there was a trend for visual supervision to predict injury occurrence. The number of children in the home was also associated with lower supervision and higher prior injury frequency. Discussion: These findings provide evidence for the important role of maternal supervision in preventing unintentional injuries among low-income, at-risk children. Interventions that help at-risk caregivers provide closer supervision for their children are needed.