buckle me up!: a digital emergency department discharge intervention for child car safety

Conditions: Safety Issues; Injuries; Car Accident

Summary: this study explores the utility of a tablet computer-based, individually-tailored application called computer intervention authoring software (cias) in the emergency department for discharge education on proper child car restraint safety. the investigators hypothesize that tablet-based, individually-tailored discharge instructions are more effective than current standard, one-size-fits-all, printed discharge instructions. this is a randomized, controlled, non-blinded trial of of children age 0-21 years old in the emergency department. patients will be randomized to receive either (a) a brief tablet-based questionnaire followed by standard, paper discharge instructions or (b) a brief tablet-based questionnaire followed by the intervention - cias, a tablet-based computer program. one week after discharge, participants in both groups will receive an automatic text message and/or email message with a link to a web-based survey that will assess: knowledge of appropriate car restraints and whether the parent/patient engaged in any behavioral changes regarding child car restraint. these variables will be compared between the control and intervention groups.

this study explores the utility of a tablet computer-based, individually-tailored technology called computer intervention authoring software (cias) in the emergency department for discharge education on proper child car restraint safety. the investigators hypothesize that tablet-based, individually-tailored discharge instructions are more effective than current standard, one-size-fits-all, printed discharge instructions. this is a randomized, controlled, non-blinded trial of a convenience sample of 200 children age 0-21 years old who present to the hasbro children's hospital emergency department by car and have access to a smartphone and/or email. patients will be randomized to receive either (a) a brief tablet-based questionnaire followed by standard, paper discharge instructions or (b) a brief tablet-based questionnaire followed by the intervention - cias, a computer program that allows families to interact with a tablet computer to receive educational information customized to the patient. children 13 years old and above will answer questions themselves instead of having their parent/guardian answer for them. both group will be offered information for the lifespan injury prevention center's kohl's car seat program. both groups will complete a questionnaire on the usefulness of their discharge education. one week after discharge, participants in both groups will receive an automatic text message and/or email message with a link to a web-based survey that will assess: knowledge of appropriate car restraints and whether the parent/patient engaged in any behavioral changes regarding child car restraint. these variables will be compared between the control and intervention groups.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: - children age 0-21 years presenting to the children's emergency department for any chief complaint whose parent/guardian owns or has access to a car that the child rides in (or for adolescents 16 years or older, have access to a car themselves). exclusion criteria: * no access to email or a smart phone * adolescents with significant developmental delay * adolescents who are critically injured * no parent/guardian present at time of enrollment

Keywords: injury prevention car safety car seats booster seats car restraints