Awareness of parents about characteristics and carrying habits of backpack and its comparison with behavioral practices of their children
Abstract
Background: Use of heavy backpacks and their potential to cause musculoskeletal injuries has been a matter of concern. Spine is in critical stage of development between the age group of 11-14 years. Musculoskeletal injury at this stage may lead to long term consequences. Parental awareness and behavioral practices of their children regarding backpack related health issues has major role to play. Hence in this cross sectional study parental knowledge regarding safe characteristics of backpack and correct method of using backpack was assessed and compared with behavioral practices of their children.
Methods: Randomly selected 250 normal healthy school children aged 11-14 years and using backpacks from Kolhapur city, Maharashtra, India was study population.124 boys and 126 girls from 6 schools, situated in different parts of city, representative of various economic strata of society participated in the study. On unscheduled day backpacks of children were assessed for its physical characteristics. Backpack carrying habit of the children was assessed when they carried their backpacks in their usual fashion. A validated questionnaire was administered to parents of school children. Data received was recorded in MS Excel worksheet and analyzed.
Results: Mean actual weight of backpack was found to be 7.05 ± SD 1.15 kg with range of 4.32 to 12.5 kg. Mean relative weight of backpack i.e. actual weight of backpack as compared to weight of child was 16.00 ± SD 2.08 kg with range of 11 to 23 kg, which is certainly more than recommended weight. Knowledge of parents regarding characteristics and carrying practices of backpack was satisfactory in 62-90% parents, however it poorly reflected in behavioral practices of their children in most of the parameters.
Conclusions: Parents knowledge about characteristics and carrying habits of backpack is poorly reflected into actual behavioral practices.
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