TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2015//
TI  - Volunteer driven home safety intervention results in significant reduction in pediatric injuries: a model for community based injury reduction
JO  - Journal of pediatric surgery
A1  - Falcone, Richard A.
A1  - Edmunds, Patrick
A1  - Lee, Emily
A1  - Gardner, Dawne
A1  - Price, Kimberly
A1  - Gittelman, Michael
A1  - Pomerantz, Wendy
A1  - Besl, John
A1  - Madhavan, Gowri
A1  - Phelan, Kieran J.
SP  - 1162
EP  - 1169
VL  - 51
IS  - 7
N2  - BACKGROUND: Home based injuries account for a significant number of injuries to children between 1 and 5years old. Evidence-based safety interventions delivered in the home with installation of safety equipment have been demonstrated to reduce injury rates. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a community based volunteer implemented home safety intervention. <br><br>METHODS: In partnership with a community with high injury rates for children between 1 and 5years old, a home safety bundle was developed and implemented by volunteers. The safety bundle included installing evidence based safety equipment. Monthly community emergency room attended injury rates as well as emergency room attended injuries occurring in intervention and nonintervention homes was tracked throughout the study. <br><br>RESULTS: Between May 2012 and May 2014 a total of 207 homes with children 1-5years old received the home safety bundle. The baseline monthly emergency room attended injury rate for children aged 1-5years within our target community was 11.3/1000 and that within our county was 8.7/1000. Following the intervention current rates are now 10.3/1000 and 9.2/1000 respectively. Within intervention homes the injury rate decreased to 4.2/1000 while the rate in the homes not receiving the intervention experienced an increase in injury rate to 12/1000 (p<0.05). When observed vs. expected injuries were examined the intervention group demonstrated 59% fewer injuries while the nonintervention group demonstrated a 6% increase (p<0.05). <br><br>CONCLUSION: Children in homes that received a volunteer-provided, free home safety bundle experienced 59% fewer injuries than would have been expected. By partnering with community leaders and organizing volunteers, proven home safety interventions were successfully provided to 207 homes during a two-year period, and a decline in community injury rates for children younger than 5years was observed compared to county wide injury rates.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0022-3468
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2015.11.020
ID  - ref1
ER  -