3191.0: Monday, November 13, 2000 - 5:00 PM

Abstract #11253

Why do parents prematurely graduate children to seat belts?

Esha Bhatia, MA, Elisa K. Moll, BA, Dennis R. Durbin, MD, MSCE, Nancy Kassam-Adams, PhD, and Flaura K. Winston, MD, PhD. TraumaLink, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 34th Street and Civic Center Boulevard, 3535 TraumaLink, 10th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19104, 215-590-3118, ebhatia@mail.med.upenn.edu

Design/Methods: Focus groups and in-depth interviews were conducted to determine reasons for the premature graduation of children from child restraint devices to vehicle seat belts. Three focus groups were held in Pennsylvania and New Jersey with parents representing a mixture of household size and composition, employment, and income. Fifteen in-depth interviews were conducted by telephone with parents meeting the same qualifications. Results: Several reasons for premature graduation were identified: lack of knowledge about the relative effectiveness of child restraints over seat belts; parental perceptions of the risk of motor vehicle-related injury; parental perceptions of their children's maturity level and comfort; gaps in child passenger safety and seat belt laws; availability of appropriate restraints; driver and trip characteristics; and parents' attitudes about child restraints. Conclusion: The reasons for premature graduation are complex and in need of additional study, however, preliminary research suggests that interventions that focus on increasing parents' knowledge and understanding of optimal restraint; strengthening child passenger safety laws; and increasing the availability of well-fitting and comfortable child restraints may be effective in reducing the problem of premature graduation.

Learning Objectives: After participation in this session, participants will be able to: 1) Identify common reasons for the premature graduation of children from child safety seats to vehicle seat belts 2) Describe potentially effective interventions to promote optimal restraint

Keywords: Motor Vehicles, Safety

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.

The 128th Annual Meeting of APHA