Injury prevention program found to reduce parent-reported injuries in children

Implementation of The Injury Prevention Program (TIPP), designed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, results in a reduction in parent-reported injuries at well-child checks (WCCs), according to a study published online April 1 in Pediatrics.

Eliana M. Perrin, M.D., M.P.H., from the Johns Hopkins University Schools of Medicine and Nursing in Baltimore, and colleagues conducted a stratified, cluster randomized trial at four academic medical centers. Two centers implemented TIPP screening and counseling materials at WCCs for ages 2 to 24 months and two centers implemented obesity prevention. Parents reported the number of child injuries since the previous WCC at each WCC.

A total of 781 parent-infant dyads were enrolled: 349 in the TIPP group and 432 in the control group; 51 and 28 percent were Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black, respectively, and 87 percent were insured by Medicaid.

The researchers found that throughout follow-up, the adjusted odds of reporting injuries were significantly reduced at TIPP sites versus non-TIPP sites, with adjusted odds ratios of 0.77, 0.60, 0.32, 0.26, and 0.27 at four, six, 12, 18, and 24 months, respectively.

"Although further research is needed to determine if TIPP prevents serious injuries and prevents injuries in nontraining settings, our study provides important evidence that a primary care-based intervention can be effective in reducing injury," the authors write.