The WalkSafe Program: developing and evaluating the educational component.
BACKGROUND
Miami-Dade County, FL, has one of the highest numbers of pediatric pedestrian injuries in the country. To respond to this problem, WalkSafe an elementary school-based pedestrian injury prevention program was created. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the 3-day WalkSafe educational curriculum in a high-risk district.


METHODS
Sixteen elementary schools were identified and enrolled in the study. Children (n = 10,621) in grades K-5 participated in the WalkSafe program in October 2006. Four of the 16 schools were randomly selected to receive pre-, post-, and 3-month posteducational testing of pedestrian safety knowledge. Teachers (n = 462) were asked to complete teacher surveys to gain feedback about the program.


RESULTS
A total of 2,987 tests were collected during the three different testing times. Grades were combined to form groups (K-1), (2-3), and (4-5). Significant differences were observed (p value <0.05) between pre- and posttesting for grades K-1 and 2-3. No significant differences were found between pre- and posttesting for (4-5) and between post- and 3-month testing across all grades (p value >0.05). There were 154 (30%) of the teacher surveys returned.


CONCLUSIONS
The 3-day WalkSafe educational curriculum implemented in a high-risk district was shown to increase the pedestrian safety knowledge of elementary school age children. From recommendations made by teachers and multiple agencies, the modified 3-day program was approved to implement on a yearly basis in all public elementary schools in Miami-Dade County. Further studies will investigate the transfer of knowledge gain to behavioral change among elementary school-aged children.
Hotz
Gillian
G
Dewitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida 33136, USA. ghotz@med.miami.edu
de Marcilla
Anamarie Garces
AG
Lutfi
Khaleeq
K
Kennedy
Amy
A
Castellon
Pedro
P
Duncan
Robert
R
D000056:Accident Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003479:Curriculum; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida / Q000453:epidemiology; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012449:Safety; D012574:Schools; D016138:Walking; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*