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INJURY PREVENTION
INJURY PREVENTION NEEDS ASSESSMENT
[Intro] [Survey Data] [Current Injury Prevention Programs] [New Injury Prevention Programs] [Alcohol and Injuries] [New Program Needs] [Improving Injury Prevention in the Communities] [Conclusion]
This injury prevention needs assessment is based on a survey of 14 of NIICHRO's 18 regionally-based Board members (see "Survey," Appendix 1), which was carried out in conjunction with a full issue of NIICHRO's In Touch magazine (Winter 1997) devoted to injury prevention issues.
The survey was conducted between December 1, 1996 and January 6, 1997. In it, Board members were asked to consult with the CHRs in their regions about injury prevention programs and training needs to obtain information on:
significant injury problems in each region injury prevention programs now in place injury prevention programs that have been successful in the past new injury prevention programs they would like to see developed perceived barriers to the establishment of new programs methods to improve CHR training how the injury prevention message could best be delivered to community members.
SURVEY DATAInjury problems in the regions
In assessing non-intentional injury problems in their regions, the CHR Board members came up with a pattern that closely follows that found in national surveys. Automobile accident injuries were listed as significant problems in 92 per cent of the regions, household accidents and drownings in 50 per cent of the regions, all-terrain and snowmobile accidents in 42 per cent of the regions, and fires and schoolyard accidents in 33 per cent of the regions. Poisonings were found to be a significant cause of injury in 25 per cent of the regions. Firearms and school bus accidents were considered significant in only 17 per cent of the 12 regions surveyed.
On the question of intentional injuries, which focused on family violence, the results reflect a growing awareness and community concern with the problem. Ninety-two per cent of the CHR Board members listed "partner abuse" as a significant problem in their region. Fifty-eight per cent also said child physical and sexual abuse was a significant problem, and surprisingly, the same number also added elder abuse to this list. A quarter of the Board members also cited "other domestic violence" as a cause of significant injuries.
Current Injury Prevention Programs
Respondents were asked in which areas injury prevention programs were in place in their regions and which programs they thought had been successful.
CHR Board members reported only sporadic prevention programs to deal with unintentional injuries. Thirty-three percent said there were automobile accident prevention programs in their region, 25 per cent reported programs for fire prevention, water safety, and school bus and snowmobile accident prevention. Only 17 per cent reported firearms injury prevention programs and 8 per cent reported prevention programs for poisoning, household accidents, schoolyard accidents and boating accidents. None of the regions reported injury prevention programs related to the use of all-terrain vehicles.
Regarding intentional injury, 58 per cent reported prevention programs dealing with partner abuse, 50 per cent said there were programs dealing with the physical abuse of children and 33 per cent reported programs dealing with child sexual abuse. Only 17 per cent reported prevention programs dealing with elder abuse.
TABLE 1 Assessing the success of injury prevention programs
% of regions with prevention programs in place % of regions where programs said to be "successful" by CHRs Automobile 33 17 Fire 25 17 Drownings 25 25 Firearms 17 17 Poisoning 17 17 School bus 25 17 Snowmobile 25 8 All-terrain vehicles 0 0 Boating 8 0 Household accidents 8 0 Schoolyard accidents 8 0 Partner abuse 50 8 Child abuse (physical) 50 25 Child abuse (sexual) 33 8 Elder abuse 17 0
The existing programs, as TABLE 1 indicates, were not considered to be particularly effective in the prevention of unintentional injuries. Only 25 per cent of the CHRs reported successful injury prevention programs to deal with the physical abuse of children. For partner abuse and the sexual abuse of children, the rate was even lower. Only 8 per cent reported successful injury prevention programs in these areas.
The same low ratings were assigned to prevention programs for unintentional injuries. Twenty-five per cent said water safety programs had been successful in their regions, while 17 per cent said there had been successful automobile, fire, firearms, poisoning and school bus injury prevention programs. Eight per cent recorded successful programs in reducing snowmobile and household accidents. None of the CHR Board members knew of a successful injury prevention program in the area of boat, all-terrain vehicle, schoolyard or household accidents.
New Injury Prevention Programs
Regarding the development of new injury prevention programs, 83 per cent asked for the development of fire prevention programs and 75 per centwanted to see snowmobile safety programs. Sixty-seven per cent wanted to see injury prevention programs for all-terrain vehicle use and the same number wanted to see new programs on poisoning prevention. Fifty-eight per cent also wanted to see programs in firearms, boating and school bus accidents and 50 per cent wanted programs to prevent household accidents.
On family violence issues,50 percent wanted new injury prevention programs for partner abuse, elder abuse and the sexual abuse of children. A slightly higher percentage, 58 per cent, wanted to see new programs in their region to address the physical abuse of children. The majority, 67 per cent also wanted new suicide and self-inflicted injury prevention programs.
Alcohol and Injuries
As many studies have shown, alcohol is a major component of the injury problem. Ninety-two per cent of the CHRs said that alcohol was a very important or somewhat important contributor to injuries in their region. The same number, 92 per cent, listed alcohol as a significant contributor to family violence in their region, while 50 per cent also cited drug abuse. The great majority (83 per cent) said alcohol abuse programs were in place in their communities, but 50 per cent of the respondents also saw the need for increased programs in these areas.
New Program Needs
In assessing existing barriers to implementing new programs, there was a strong consensus that the two biggest factors are the lack of funding and lack of community interest, both of which were cited by 83 per cent of the respondents. Sixty-seven per cent also listed lack of technical support and 50 per cent also reported lack of community awareness. None of the respondents thought lack of awareness by CHRs was a problem.
Reflecting the fact that young people have the highest injury rate, all of the CHR Board members said they would like to see programs targeted at teenagers and young adults. But there was also a strong recognition that injuries take a toll on all age-groups. Ninety-two per cent also wanted to see programs designed for adults and 83 per cent wanted to see programs directed to children and elders. As a method of transmitting the injury prevention message directly to the communities, most (67 per cent) thought videos were the most effective, followed by posters, flyers and booklets (58 per cent).
Improving Injury Prevention in the Communities
When asked what type of injury prevention training was needed, virtually all of the CHR Board members (83 per cent) favoured the "train-the-trainer" approach. Fifty-eight percent also saw the need for open workshops in the communities and 42 per cent said injury prevention conferences as effective tools.
Half the CHR Board members thought CHRs in their region were not doing enough in the area of injury prevention, and a little less than half, 42 per cent, thought they were doing about the right amount. More than half of respondents, 58 per cent, also thought an injury control officer would be very useful in their region.
CONCLUSION
The effectiveness of current prevention programs were thought to be low, but this might have been because, as one of the regional representatives pointed out, existing programs were set up and carried out without the follow-up required to assess their effectiveness. One respondent commented that injury prevention programs in her region were "sporadic." She said she would like "to see a co-ordination of community programming by CHRs in all areas of injury prevention."
The survey reflected a high awareness among CHRs of the toll of injuries on their communities and the need for prevention programs, but a low awareness and interest among the general population. This suggests that more work needs to be done in the area of information and education campaigns. Most regional representatives suggested that CHRs should be more active in the area of injury prevention and favoured additional training of the "train-the-trainer" type which they could pass on to other community members. A large majority (83 per cent) saw lack of funding as the main barrier to implementing new injury prevention measures.
January 13, 1997
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copyright © 1997 NIICHRO 05/01/98
