Pediatric Injury Prevention Health Communications Study

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Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death among U.S. children and a major cause of childhood morbidity. Most injury morbidity and mortality occur in the home or automobile, and may be decreased through the use of preventive safety practices. This research assesses the effectiveness and utility of tailored injury prevention information provided in the primary care setting. Initial research demonstrated the potential feasibility and effectiveness of a computer-tailored information approach to the provision of injury prevention education in the primary care setting. Subsequent research tested the impact of the delivery of concurrent tailored parent and physician information on physician-parent communication during the well-child visit regarding injury prevention behaviors and subsequent parent adoption of new safety practices. During well-child visits, parents of children ages 4 and younger completed a computer assessment and were randomized to receive generic injury prevention information, tailored injury prevention information, or tailored information supplemented with a tailored summary for providers. Follow-up assessment conducted one month following the clinic visit indicated that parents receiving tailored information alone or with supplementary provider information were more likely to report adopting a new injury prevention behavior than those receiving generic information, and these effects were greatest among the least educated parents. Current research addressed the uptake and utility of this individually-tailored injury prevention computer program designed for use during well child visits to enhance the provision of anticipatory guidance regarding safety behaviors. A sample of five pediatric clinics in North Carolina implemented the Safe N Sound injury prevention program. Rates of program usage were tracked, clinic observations assessing program usage were conducted, surveys and focus groups were completed by health care providers, and documentation of injury prevention anticipatory guidance were assessed prior to and following program implementation. This research will further inform the potential development and use of strategies employing tailored communications for pediatric injury prevention in the primary care setting.