The importance of a preclinical trial: a selected injury intervention program for pediatric trauma centers.
BACKGROUND
Trauma centers are an ideal site to conduct screening and intervention programs that target risk taking behaviors. We hypothesized that a parent/child-centered intervention is a feasible method of injury prevention for a level one pediatric trauma center.


METHODS
The study was conducted in children aged 7 years to 17 years at two level one pediatric trauma centers. The high-risk behaviors targeted were (i) not always using a seat belt, (ii) not always using a bicycle helmet, or (iii) placing children under 12 in the front seat of the car. Those patients who had a positive screening test underwent a brief intervention. Experimental end points included accrual rates, acceptability of protocol by patients and medical staff, knowledge retention.


RESULTS
Eighty-eight of the 101 families approached participated. The mean age was 13.3 +/- 2.8 years. The time to consent and screen was 2.7 +/- 0.2 minutes and 9.5 +/- 0.54 minutes. Fifty-three of 88 (60%) children had a positive screening test to one or more of the high risk behaviors. It took 11.5 +/- 1.2 minutes for intervention. Ninety-two percent of healthcare professionals felt that program fit into the trauma center routine. Forty-nine of the 53 families who had a positive screen were successfully contacted 3 months after the intervention. Ninety-seven percent of the follow-up group remembered talking about how seat belts and helmets save lives and about placing children in the back seat of a car. Seventy-nine percent of the families found the information helpful, 53% felt they learned something from the intervention.


CONCLUSIONS
Screening and brief intervention is a well-accepted and operationally practical injury prevention intervention. Further controlled injury intervention trials are justified.
Ehrlich
Peter F
PF
Department of Surgery, Section of Pediatric Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. pehrlich@med.umich.edu
Drongowski
Amy
A
Swisher-McClure
Samuel
S
Maio
Ron
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010372:Pediatrics; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D014193:Trauma Centers; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*