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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Nicole Holdaway Smith, BS, EpiCenter, Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, 527 SW Hall Suite 300, Portland, OR 97201, 5032284185, nsmith@npaihb.org

Objectives. Estimate restraint use among Northwest American Indian children age 8 or younger, and determine factors associated with three categories of restraint use.

Methods. We surveyed vehicles in six tribes in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Children were divided into three categories of restraint use: properly restrained, inadequately restrained, and unrestrained. Associations between the three categories of restraint use and child, driver, and vehicle characteristics were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression models for clustered data.

Results. We observed 775 children traveling in 574 vehicles, 41% of who were unrestrained, and 30% of who were inadequately restrained (using a restraint not recommended for the child's age and weight or using the restraint improperly). Proper restraint ranged from 63% among infant seat-eligible to 11% among booster seat-eligible children. Inadequate restraint ranged from 16% among infant seat-eligible to 41% among booster seat-eligible children. Preliminary results suggest that children riding with drivers who were not wearing seatbelts were much more likely to be unrestrained. Parents of the children were more likely to have children properly restrained than non-parent drivers. Children who were inadequately restrained in the vehicle tended to have more child, driver, and vehicle characteristics in common with children who were properly restrained than children who were unrestrained.

Conclusions. The majority of children in these communities are unrestrained and inadequately restrained in motor vehicles. Restraint use was exceedingly low among booster-eligible children and children riding with unrestrained adults. Interventions emphasizing appropriate restraint and enforcement of child passenger safety laws could potentially reduce the risk.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Identify the proper child restraint for different ages and sizes of children as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
• Recognize that American Indian children are at particular risk for injury from motor vehicle accidents because most children are riding in the vehicle either completely unrestrained or inadequately restrained.
• Identify factors associated with proper child restraint use, inadequate child restraint use, and non child restraint use in Northwest American Indian communities.
• Discuss different interventions that target drivers who do not restrain children and interventions targeting drivers who use incorrect vehicle restraints for children.

Keywords: American Indians, Injury Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered