Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Unintentional Injuries Among Old People in Urban Zunyi, Southwest China

Objective: To describe the KAP (knowledge, attitude and practice, KAP) and explore the influence factors for UIs (unintentional injuries, UIs) among the elderly (aged>﹦60 years) in urban districts of Zunyi, China. Methods: Using random cluster sampling method, a survey was conducted with questionnaires, to collect UIs and related KAP in the elderly and analyze its influencing factors. Results: The annual incidence of UIs (falls, burns, traffics, etc.) was 17.46% in some urban districts of Zunyi. Among them, 27.94% elderly regarded UI as a type of disease; the channels to acquire related knowledge through TV (79.05%), listening to others' narration (56.83%), community publicity (26.03%), books or newspapers (22.86%) and internet (9.84%). While 76.51% of the elderly believed that UIs were preventable; 81.59% old people worried about UIs; 93.97% of the elderly chose to seek help when they suffered UIs; and 95.25% of elderly people followed traffic rules when crossing the road. In the case of gas use, 25.77% of the cases were checked and closed each time, 40% and 20% old people would check the time before taking the medicine, and purchasing food. Factors affecting the occurrence of UIs were age, heart disease (both P<0.05). Moreover, the living condition had an effect on “whether considering UIs as a kind of disease” (P=0.003). Conclusion: The KAP of UIs in the elderly is not optimistic, though most elderly people think the damage can be prevented; prevention on UIs related behavior needs to be enhanced. We should arouse the public to pay more attentions to keep elderly people far away UIs risk factors in this area.