RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Children ages 8-12 years, also called "Tweens," demonstrate a number of risk factors for motor vehicle injury, including lack of restraint use and front seating position, yet few interventions have targeted this group. We implemented a school-based educational intervention designed to increase awareness and encourage safer transportation of these children. MATERIALS: A local school collaborated with the study team to develop educational materials based on the school mascot and allowed use of school-based media (bulletin boards, closed circuit TV, and newsletters) to deliver key messages about restraint use and back seating position. Selected students participated in delivering the message and in evaluation activities, increasing peer support for the program. Evaluation consisted of surveys of reported and observed restraint use and rear seating for children and restraint use for parents before and after the educational intervention. RESULTS: School support for the program was excellent and student enthusiasm was high. Parent awareness of safe positioning for children improved, with parents endorsing seat belts alone versus seat belts with a booster seat for children ages 5-8 falling from 37% to 25% (p < 0.004). Child report of restraint use increased from 78% to 89% (p < 0.001). Reported exposure to the campaign messages was high with 77% of parents and 89% of students recalling the campaign at the end of the year. Observed restraint use for both adults and children was somewhat lower than reported use. Restraint use by parents was about 80% both before and after the intervention. Restraint use by children increased from 71% to 91% (0.001). No changes were noted in front seating position for children. DISCUSSION: Short term positive changes in observed restraint use and knowledge about safer transportation of children were encouraging. Further study of the program, including a controlled study of the intervention, are needed to demonstrate longer term effectiveness.