ERIC Number: EJ897793
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010-Oct
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0268-1153
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Evaluating the Impact of a School-Based Helmet Promotion Program on Eligible Adolescent Drivers: Different Audiences, Different Needs?
Germeni, Evi; Lionis, Christos; Kalampoki, Vassiliki; Davou, Bettina; Belechri, Maria; Petridou, Eleni
Health Education Research, v25 n5 p865-876 Oct 2010
The school environment has been often identified as a prosperous venue for public health improvement. This study is a cluster randomized controlled trial evaluating the impact of a school-based helmet promotion program on knowledge, attitudes and practices of eligible adolescent drivers. Four public, four private and four vocational high schools situated in Attica, Greece, were sorted by type and randomly assigned to receive a 1-month intervention, based on the concepts of the Health Belief Model, or serve as controls. Self-report data were collected at baseline from 741 second grade students (16 years) and immediately after program completion. Linear mixed models with random student effects were used to estimate mean changes in scores for each treatment group and corresponding between groups differences of changes. Likelihood-based analysis showed that the intervention yielded a significant improvement in knowledge about helmet use. Yet, its impact on attitudes and practices appeared to vary across different school types. With current research offering ambiguous results on the appropriate timing of injury prevention efforts, this study suggests that educational programs targeting road safety can lead to positive changes if tailored to the needs of specific population groups and implemented during critical life periods, such as the transition to driving status.
Descriptors: Vocational High Schools, Prevention, Public Health, Audiences, Adolescents, Program Effectiveness, Foreign Countries, Grade 2, Educational Environment, Safety Equipment, Motor Vehicles, Health Behavior, Models, Scores, Intervention, Injuries, Private Schools, High School Students, Traffic Safety, Measurement
Oxford University Press. Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX2 6DP, UK. Tel: +44-1865-353907; Fax: +44-1865-353485; e-mail: jnls.cust.serv@oxfordjournals.org; Web site: http://her.oxfordjournals.org/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: High Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Greece
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A