title: School-based prevention program associated with increased short- and long-term retention of safety knowledge.
abstract: Validation of program effectiveness is essential in justifying school-based injury prevention education. Although Risk Watch (RW) targets burn, fire, and life safety, its effectiveness has not been previously evaluated in the medical literature. Between 2007 and 2012, a trained fire service public educator (FSPE) taught RW to all second grade students in one public school district. The curriculum was delivered in 30-minute segments for 9 consecutive weeks via presentations, a safety smoke house trailer, a model-sized hazard house, a student workbook, and parent letters. A written pre-test (PT) was given before RW started, a post-test (PT#1) was given immediately after RW, and a second post-test (PT#2) was administered to the same students the following school year (ranging from 12 to 13 months after PT). Students who did not complete the PT or at least one post-test were excluded. Comparisons were made by paired t-test, analysis of variance, and regression analysis. After 183 (8.7%) were excluded for missing tests, 1,926 remaining students scored significantly higher (P = .0001) on PT#1 (mean 14.8) and PT#2 (mean 14.7) than the PT (mean 12.1). There was 1 FSPE and 36 school teachers with class size ranging from 10 to 27 (mean 21.4). Class size was not predictive of test score improvement (R = 0%), while analysis of variance showed that individual teachers trended toward some influence. This 6-year prospective study demonstrated that the RW program delivered by an FSPE effectively increased short-term knowledge and long-term retention of fire/life safety in early elementary students. Collaborative partnerships are critical to preserving community injury prevention education programs.
authors.affiliation: From the Trauma Burn Center, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, and Bloomfield Township Fire Department, Michigan.
authors.forename: Karla S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Klas
authors.forename: Peter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Vlahos
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: McCully
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Piche
authors.forename: Stewart C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002056:Burns / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002648:Child; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D015397:Program Evaluation; D017751:Safety Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*