PEDIATRIC AUTOMOTIVE RESTRAINTS, PEDIATRICIANS, AND THE ACADEMY

Our 70% of the 192 Southern California Academy pediatricians responding to a survey teach parents about pediatric automotive safety devices but less than 3% do so on every visit. To test two methods of increasing the frequency of teaching, these pediatricians were randomly assigned to either a mailing from the Academy's local chapter (mail group) or a brief presentation by a local pharmaceutical representative at his regular visit (interview group); a follow-up was conducted one month later by mail. Sixty-one percent of the mail group and 49% of the interview group claimed that their teaching on this subject had increased since the original contact. While this difference did not reach statistical significance, it was in the same direction as the preferences for sources of pediatric information expressed by both groups of pediatricians. A special letter from the Academy was ranked most effective and a visit from the pharmaceutical representative was judged least effective. Because of the magnitude of the problem, availability of a solution, proof that pediatricians can influence health behavior related to children and acknowledgment of the Academy's role in pediatric education, an appeal is made for an all-out campaign by the Academy and its members to promote use of appropriate pediatric automotive safety devices. /HSRI/

  • Availability:
  • Supplemental Notes:
    • Sponsored by Mead Johnson Laboratories.
  • Corporate Authors:

    American Academy of Pediatrics

    P.O. Box 1034
    Evanston, IL  United States  60204
  • Authors:
    • Kieberman, H M
    • Emmet II, W L
    • Coulson, A H
  • Publication Date: 1976-9

Media Info

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00152949
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: Highway Safety Research Institute
  • Contract Numbers: 5S01-RR05655-06, PS340
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Jun 22 1977 12:00AM