Promoting the use of car safety devices for infants: an intensive health education approach.
Efforts to promote the use of infant car seats through health education techniques have been disappointing when strict criteria for evaluation are used. Low-income families were targeted and were provided with educational sessions in the prenatal, postdelivery , and infant follow-up periods. Free car seats were given to 179 clients. Base-line and follow-up observations were performed at 4 months after delivery. The proportion of correctly restrained infants increased from 9% to 38%. The number of infants who were lap held decreased from 38% to 18%. The proportion of clients who had an approved car seat but who were using it incorrectly increased from 11% to 23%.
D000056:Accident Prevention; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001334:Automobile Driving; D001519:Behavior; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D012622:Seat Belts; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors