Community partnership to promote home fire safety in children with special needs.
BACKGROUND
Parents of children with special needs are vigilant as their child may have difficulty independently escaping a burning home. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if providing home fire safety information via a digital video disc (DVD) increases families' knowledge, behavior and ability regarding home fire safety.


METHODS
A school based classroom intervention (using a home fire safety DVD) was provided to parents (n=40) of children with and without special needs to improve home fire safety knowledge, behavior and ability. In addition, parents seen at the Kentucky Commission for Children with Special Health Care Needs clinics (n=47) received the same intervention in cohorts of 1-2 children. For both groups, knowledge, and behavior were measured before and after intervention. Repeated measures ANOVA were used to test for differences between groups and over time. Significance was set at p<0.05.


RESULTS
No difference in scores between pre- and post-test scores existed between groups (with special needs vs. without special needs, or classroom vs. individualized instruction). However, some differences were noted for some individual survey questions during post-hoc comparisons. Having a smoke alarm in the home (90% vs. 95%, p=0.029) and having a smoke alarm outside of where everyone sleeps (75% vs. 95%, p=0.005) increased over time and was retained. Having a fire escape plan increased at post intervention (58% vs. 79%, p=0.033), but returned to pre levels at follow-up (58%). Perceived knowledge (7.7 vs. 9.3, p<0.001) and ability (8.7 vs. 9.1, p=0.069) increased over time.


CONCLUSIONS
Parents of children with special needs had a significant increase in knowledge and behavior over those parents of children without special needs. They also perceived having a high fire safety ability. Many of the post-test questions/behaviors (e.g., capable of exiting home during a fire, etc.) were reported at 100%. The intervention was well received, but may not necessarily be needed. Focus for home fire safety may need to look at younger children and smaller families. Parents of special needs children may have had frequent interaction with health care professionals.
University of Louisville, School of Nursing, United States. Electronic address: c0lehn01@louisville.edu.
Carlee
C
Lehna
Safe Kids Worldwide, Office of Child Advocacy, Kosair Children's Hospital, United States. Electronic address: erika.janes@nortonhealthcare.org.
Erika G
EG
Janes
Safe Kids Worldwide, Office of Child Advocacy, Kosair Children's Hospital, United States. Electronic address: Sharon.Rengers@nortonhealthcare.org.
Sharon
S
Rengers
Louisville Fire Department, United States. Electronic address: Jackie.Graviss@louisvilleKY.gov.
Jackie
J
Graviss
Louisville Fire Department, United States. Electronic address: Drane.Scrivener@louisvilleKY.gov.
Drane
D
Scrivener
Churchill Park School, Jefferson County Public Schools (Kentucky), United States. Electronic address: tom.knabel@jefferson.kyschools.us.
Tom
T
Knabel
University of Louisville, School of Nursing, United States. Electronic address: eesing02@louiville.edu.
Elizabeth
E
Carver
University of Louisville, School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, United States. Electronic address: john.myers@louisville.edu.
John
J
Myers
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002056:Burns / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002648:Child; D019988:Children with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D005390:Fires / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D012572:School Health Services; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014741:Video Recording; D055815:Young Adult
Children with special needs; Community partnerships; Home fire safety