DETERMINANTS OF ACCIDENTS AMONG CHILDREN UNDER FIVE IN ALGERIA: AN ANALYTICAL STUDY BASED ON THE 2019 MULTIPLE INDICATOR CLUSTER SURVEY (MICS6)

Abstract

This article uses data from the 2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS6) to investigate the key determinants of accidents among children under the age of five in Algeria. It examines how a combination of demographic, social and economic factors influences the frequency and severity of accidents involving children. The study addresses the increasing recognition of the vulnerability of young children to unintentional injuries due to their limited risk perception, underdeveloped motor skills, and exploratory behaviour. Nevertheless, child accidents have not received sufficient attention in the public health policies of many countries in the Global South, including Algeria. Adopting a descriptive-analytical approach, the article relies on secondary data collected through MICS6 and supported by UNICEF, which was implemented by the Algerian Ministry of Health. The sample comprises over 15,000 children, with 852 reported cases of serious accidents. The analysis focuses on several explanatory variables, including the child’s gender, age, place of residence, their mother’s educational level and employment status, and the household’s standard of living. Statistical analysis combined with sociological interpretation was employed to reveal the relationships between these variables.

The findings show that gender plays a notable role: male children accounted for 55.63% of accidents, compared to 44.37% for females. This aligns with existing research linking higher accident rates among boys to greater engagement in physical and risk-taking behaviours, often reinforced by cultural norms around masculinity. Additionally, age was a critical factor. Children aged one and two experienced the highest accident rates (30.05% and 30.28%, respectively). This is a stage marked by increased mobility and curiosity, but lacking the cognitive and motor coordination necessary to avoid harm. By contrast, infants under one year old had a lower rate (21.25%), while children aged three and four experienced a gradual decrease, likely due to improved self-regulation and awareness. Place of residence also influenced accident risk: urban children accounted for 59.27% of cases, compared to 40.73% in rural areas. This may reflect the hazards of urban environments, such as dense populations, high traffic levels, limited play areas, and constrained parental supervision due to work commitments. Although the rate is lower in rural areas, children there face other dangers, such as exposure to agricultural work and unsafe household infrastructure. Furthermore, rural homes often serve as workplaces, increasing the likelihood of contact with hazardous tools and materials. A particularly intriguing aspect of the study was the non-linear relationship between maternal education and accident rates. Contrary to expectations, the lowest accident rate (8.69%) was observed among children whose mothers had no formal education. This rate then increased among those with primary (16.55%) and middle school (33.22%) education, before declining at secondary (22.53%) and university (19.01%) levels. These findings suggest that education alone does not ensure better safety outcomes, especially if it is not accompanied by sufficient supervision. Mothers without formal education may be more likely to be full-time homemakers, whereas semi-educated mothers may combine household duties with informal work, resulting in inconsistent child supervision. Conversely, educated and professionally active mothers may possess stronger planning skills and a greater awareness of safety practices. In terms of economic factors, two key variables were assessed: maternal employment and household wealth. Notably, 87.44% of accident cases involved children of unemployed mothers, compared to 12.56% involving employed mothers. While one might assume that unemployed mothers would be more present and attentive, this finding indicates that associated factors, such as poverty, limited access to information, and psychological stress, may diminish the quality of child supervision. Household living standards also demonstrated a clear pattern. Accident rates were highest among children from very poor households (23.47%), followed by those from poor (22.06), average (20.43), rich (19.37), and very rich families (14.67%). These figures reinforce the idea that material deprivation is a major contributor to risk. Poor families often live in unsafe or overcrowded housing near busy roads or degraded infrastructure and typically lack the financial capacity to provide safer alternatives. Furthermore, poverty often coincides with limited access to health education, community support services, and safety equipment. A key finding of the study is that child accidents are not random events, but rather the result of overlapping structural and contextual vulnerabilities. Risk is shaped by the interaction of multiple dimensions, including gender, age, geography, education, and income. For example, a child living in a congested urban area, born to an uneducated, unemployed mother and residing in a low-income household, is significantly more exposed than a child from a well-educated, high-income family in a secure neighbourhood. Based on these findings, the article presents several recommendations. Firstly, there is an urgent need to raise public awareness of child safety through educational campaigns on various platforms, such as the media, schools, religious centres, and community spaces. These campaigns should emphasise the importance of supervision, accident prevention strategies, and household safety. Secondly, urban infrastructure, especially in low-income areas, must be improved. This could include safer roadways, protected playgrounds, and building codes that incorporate child-friendly designs. Thirdly, greater investment is needed in maternal education, including not only formal schooling, but also practical training in parenting, safety and child development, especially in rural and underprivileged areas. Furthermore, social protection measures should target vulnerable families by providing financial support for housing improvements and access to safety equipment, such as safety gates and locks, as well as essential services, including healthcare and early childhood support. Lastly, cross-sector collaboration is essential. Government bodies, NGOs, schools and local institutions must collaborate to develop sustainable, context-sensitive frameworks that protect children from preventable harm.

In conclusion, the study highlights the complex interplay of demographic, social, and economic factors in shaping the risk of accidents among young children in Algeria. By identifying these determinants and understanding how they overlap, the study provides a basis for evidencebased, multisectoral policies aimed at reducing childhood injuries and promoting safer developmental environments. Ultimately, a shift towards proactive, integrated strategies is required to ensure that child safety becomes a national priority within Algeria’s health and social planning agendas.

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