Introduction:

Customs, beliefs and perceptions that caregivers have acquired in their lives influence their preventive behavior.

Objective:

To identify the social representation on the prevention of unintentional injuries (UI) among caregivers of children younger than six years old, in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Material and methods:

qualitative study in two focus groups composed of caregivers of preschoolers, who were selected by theoretical sampling. One group had previous experience in UI and the other without this experience. Through an analytical induction process, a matrix with the categories and codes was developed from the participants’ responses.

Results:

Caregivers with experience in UI perceive danger differently and take actions to prevent injuries. Inexperienced caregivers need to be certain that by preventing an UI will not happen, in order to establish actions.

Conclusions:

Prevention behaviors are influenced by the social and cultural meanings of the caregivers, as well as previous experiences. The information presented here can help strengthen programs to prevent UI in children.