1Agho Kingsley Kathy Tannous  

1Western Sydney University,School of Science and Health 2Western University of Sydney

Abstract:

Introduction: The design and practice of home escape plans have been considered as important safety strategies for families to employ, to reduce and/or prevent injury or death. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and factors associated with home escape plans in the state of New South Wales, Australia.

Method: This study utilised two surveys: fire safety attitudes and behaviour survey administered to high risk individuals (n=296) and 2013 NSW health survey, comprising 13,027 adults aged 16 years were examined using multinomial logistic regression analyses to identify factors associated with having no home fire escape plan, and having no written home escape plan.

Results: The prevalence of written home escape plan was (7.9%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 7.3, 8.6 for NSW population, 4.3%, 95%CI: 2.5, 7.5 for the high risk individuals), no written home escape plan (26.2%, 95%CI: 25.1, 27.2 for NSW population, 44.6%, 95%CI: 38.8, 50.5 for the high risk individuals) and no home escape plan (65.9%, 95%CI: 64.8, 67.1 for NSW population, 51.1%, 95%CI: 45.2, 56.9 for the high risk individuals). After adjusting for other covariates, the following factors were significantly associated with no written home escape plan and not having a home escape plan: respondents who spoke only English at home, respondents who took over a year to practice home escape plan, married respondents, females and those respondents who tested their smoke alarm less frequently.
Conclusion: Future fire interventions should target people who speak only English at home and people who test their smoke alarms less frequently.

Keywords: Home fire; escape plan; fire safety; high risk individual; New South Wales


Biography: