The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #58884

Emily S. Dix, PhD, Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216-4505, 601-815-1730, edix@prevmed.umsmed.edu

Injuries sustained through the use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) have become a public health concern for families in Mississippi. From 1999 to 2001, 268 ATV-related injuries met severity criteria for inclusion in the Trauma Registries; 43% of which involved children 16 years and younger. In 2002, 5 Mississippi children died during one week as a result of ATV crashes, which yielded parent meetings and numerous newspaper editorials from community members regarding safety concerns of ATVs. Partnered with parent groups and other concerned community members, the Division of Emergency Medical Services for Children located within the Mississippi State Department of Health contracted with researchers and physicians in the Departments of Preventive Medicine and Neurosurgery at the University of Mississippi Medical Center to develop an ATV safety intervention for children and their families.

Because little is known about the cultural implications of ATV-use in rural Mississippi, it was critical to include ATV-users in intervention development, implementation and evaluation. Using questions developed in collaboration with ATV-users, 10 focus groups were conducted among children and adults in rural schools and churches throughout Mississippi. These sessions provided insights into the attitudes and behaviors regarding ATV-use in rural areas. Qualitative data were then used to develop a survey that quantified these factors among a sample of ATV-users in Mississippi. Survey results guided development of the ATV safety intervention components, which were pre-tested among community members. The proposed paper will discuss how community participation directed this intervention research process; additionally, qualitative and quantitative results will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:
• Recognize the public health concern of ATV-related injuries in rural areas.
• Recognize the steps needed to involve community members in the formative research phase of intervention development.
• Create a culturally-relevant ATV safety intervention that is specific to the needs of rural populations.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.