Evaluation of a school-based education program to promote bicycle safety.
Of the 500,000 children in the United States who are injured in bicycle crashes annually, 252 die--97% of whom were not wearing a helmet. Although many intervention programs promote the use of helmets by children, a paucity of school-based evaluation studies exist that report students' knowledge retention or behavioral changes. The purposes of this study were to identify associations between student-reported knowledge of safety-related behaviors, reports of current safety-related practices, and students' participation in the Safety Central program while in the 4th grade. The sample consisted of 284 students currently enrolled in 5th and 6th grades. Findings showed a statistically significant association between participation in the Safety Central program and retention of knowledge and enactment of safety messages after a 1- and 2-year period. Motivators and barriers for helmet use were also identified. Implications for modifications to the content and delivery of the program and future evaluations are addressed.
Kirsch
Sallie E
SE
Family Functioning Team, University of Washington, School of Nursing, Department of Family Child Nursing, USA.
Pullen
Nancy
N
D000056:Accident Prevention; D001642:Bicycling / Q000592:standards*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015205:Northwestern United States; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012449:Safety; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires