The school re-entry program addresses common concerns of injured children and families, guides classmates in providing an appropriate environment for the returning child, and presents age-appropriate information to allay classmates' concerns about their own vulnerability to injury. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the program as an injury prevention strategy. The study is designed as a controlled trial. The program includes a classroom presentation focusing on the child's mechanism of injury, injuries sustained, and prevention information. Each injured child's classroom (IC) is matched with two sets of controls. One control group receives an injury prevention presentation (CWP); the second control group does not receive a presentation (CNP). For the IC and CWP classrooms, tests are administered prior to and immediately following the presentation and again one month later. The CNP group receives two tests one month apart. To date, 296 children are enrolled in the study. IC group scores increased by 103.5% on the posttest (p=0.0001). Scores remained significantly higher at one month (p=0.0001). One month IC scores month were significantly higher than CNP scores (p=0.0001). No difference in IC and CWP posttest scores was noted (p=0.20). The difference in month scores between IC and CWP groups failed to achieve statistical significance (p=0.07). Classroom presentations appear to be an effective injury prevention strategy for school age children regardless of whether a child in the classroom has been hospitalized for injury. School presentations appear to be an inexpensive and highly effective injury prevention strategy.
Learning Objectives: Following the session, participants will be able to: 1. identify the challenges faced by an injured child returning to the classroom following hospitalization; 2. recognize the fears and concerns of classmates and teachers related to the return of the injured child; 3. develop a school re-entry program which effectively meets the needs of both injured children and classmates
Keywords: School-Based Programs, Injury Prevention
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: none
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.