title: An evaluation of the impact of 'Lifeskills' training on road safety, substance use and hospital attendance in adolescence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate if attendance at Lifeskills, a safety education centre for children in Year 6 (10-11 years), is associated with engagement in safer behaviours, and with fewer accidents and injuries, in adolescence.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample are participants in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children who attended school in the Lifeskills catchment area in Year 6; 60% attended Lifeskills. At 14-15 years, participants (n approximately 3000, varies by outcome) self-reported road safety behaviours and accidents, and perceived health effects and use of alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco. Additional outcomes from linkage to Hospital Episodes Statistics were available for a sub-sample (n=1768): hospital admittance (for accident-related reason, from 11-16 years) and A&E attendance (for any reason, from approximately 14-16 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children who attended Lifeskills were more likely to report using pedestrian crossings on their way to school than children who did not attend (59% versus 52%). Lifeskills attendance was unrelated to the ownership of cycle helmets, or the use of cycle helmets, seat belts, or reflective/fluorescent clothing, or to A&E attendance. Use of cycle helmets (37%) and reflective/fluorescent clothing (<4%) on last cycle was low irrespective of Lifeskills attendance. Lifeskills attendance was associated with less reported smoking and cannabis use, but was generally unrelated to perceptions of the health impact of substance use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lifeskills attendance was associated with some safer behaviours in adolescence. The overall low use of cycle helmets and reflective/fluorescent clothing evidences the need for powerful promotion of some safer behaviours at Lifeskills and at follow-up in schools.
authors.affiliation: School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, UK. Electronic address: alison.teyhan@bristol.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Teyhan
authors.affiliation: School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Rosie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cornish
authors.affiliation: School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Macleod
authors.affiliation: School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boyd
authors.affiliation: School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Doerner
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Social Work & Public Health, Oxford Brookes University, UK.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sissons Joshi
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D001642:Bicycling / Q000293:injuries; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006260:Head Protective Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011482:Protective Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012449:Safety / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D014600:Utilization Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology
keywords: ALSPAC; Accident prevention; Adolescence; Cycle safety; Pedestrian skills; Safety training