Effects of Pre-discharge Education for the Correct Use of Child Occupant Restraints

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To determine the effects of pre-discharge education for the correct use of child occupant restraints (CORs). METHODS: Between January and August 2012, education for the correct use of CORs was provided to parents at the time of discharge of their newborns from our neonatal intensive care unit. A cross-sectional survey using self-report questionnaires or telephone interviews was conducted when the children were 6 to 12 months of age, and the acquired data were compared with data from a control group. RESULTS: The overall percentage of children using CORs was 73.4% for the COR educated group and 69.9% for the control group. However, the percentage of children who correctly used CORs was 42.2% for COR educated group and 44.3% for the control group. There was no statistically significant difference in parental awareness and perception of the correct use of CORs between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The correct use rate of CORs in our community is still low, and no difference in the correct use of CORs was observed between parents who were educated before discharge of their newborns and those who were not. Therefore, an alternative strategy, such as a strong enforcement program, is needed to increase the correct use of CORs.