Sef El Deen, A., Abo El Naga, R., Abd El Rahman, N. (2001). A Pilot Study of the International Program for Prevention of Head and Spinal Cord Injuries in Alexandria. Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 31(2), 233-254. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2001.233525
Amira G. Sef El Deen; Randa M. Abo El Naga; Nabil Abd El Rahman. "A Pilot Study of the International Program for Prevention of Head and Spinal Cord Injuries in Alexandria". Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 31, 2, 2001, 233-254. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2001.233525
Sef El Deen, A., Abo El Naga, R., Abd El Rahman, N. (2001). 'A Pilot Study of the International Program for Prevention of Head and Spinal Cord Injuries in Alexandria', Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 31(2), pp. 233-254. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2001.233525
Sef El Deen, A., Abo El Naga, R., Abd El Rahman, N. A Pilot Study of the International Program for Prevention of Head and Spinal Cord Injuries in Alexandria. Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 2001; 31(2): 233-254. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2001.233525
A Pilot Study of the International Program for Prevention of Head and Spinal Cord Injuries in Alexandria
1Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt
2Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt
Abstract
Traumatic brain and spinal cord injury is a worldwide problem. Unfortunately, victims of such injuries are from children and young adults. Therefore, prevention of these injuries becomes a must because it affects one of the most valuable resources of any community. THINK FIRST program is a successful international preventive program against head and spinal cord injuries directed to adolescent age. This program aims, to teach adolescents how to think and use their minds first to protect their bodies against accidents by avoiding risk taking behaviors. This program was carried out through conducting some interventional activities like, presenting video tape, giving comprehensive discussion and distributing handouts on some middle and high school students providing them with information about risk taking behaviors of head and spinal cord injury and their serious consequences. Finally, assessment of changes in students' knowledge, attitude and practice after the program implementation was done by pre and post questionnaire including, different items for measuring these areas. Promising results were found in this pilot study, where all studied students [n=170] showed a significant increase in their knowledge score [pre-63.39+13.36, post-80.94±6.11] and attitude score [pre=73.75+11.59, post-94.85±10.59] related to risky behaviors predisposing to head and spinal cord injury after the program. In pretest, there was a significant difference between young students joining middle schools and older students in high schools as regard their knowledge and practice. Where the first group had higher scores than the second one. However, the percent change in the knowledge mean which reffect the; gaining of knowledge after the program; was significantly higher among the older age group [173 years], joining high schools. This pilot study recommends to start the implementation of injury prevention curriculum in middle schools or even earlier. In addition to strengthen the role of mass media in spreading information. Moreover, establishing strict regulations as regard safety measures usage.
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