Kennon Kirk, Eastern Virginia Medical School, 600 D Fairfax Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23507, (757) 620-2449, kirkjk@evms.edu

In a study conducted at the Virginia Beach, VA oceanfront during the summer of 2003, physicians from the Emergency Department at Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters in Norfolk, VA identified several risk factors that were significantly associated with the occurrence of pediatric oceanfront injuries. The risk factors identified were 1) having more than three children in a group, 2) cloudy weather, 3) choppy water, 4) use of sports equipment, and 5) the child having had a water safety class. With support from the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, a division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, researchers are working with a local health coalition to develop and implement an educational intervention to reduce the incidence of pediatric injuries at the Virginia Beach, VA oceanfront. To evaluate the impact of the intervention, a Knowledge, Awareness, and Practices (KAP) Survey will be used to assess pre- and post-intervention changes in participants’ knowledge and behavior. The aim of this study is to develop, pilot test, and validate the KAP survey prior to its administration. Survey content will address items unique to the Virginia Beach oceanfront project as well as information relevant to any intervention designed to reduce oceanfront injuries. Survey validation will involve qualitative survey review and test-retest analysis. Results from this survey validation study will be available by May 29th, 2004.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of the presentation, the participant should be able to understand the need for survey validation and describe a procedure by which it can be accomplished.

Keywords: Survey, Injury Prevention

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.