Injury Prevention Organizations in Canada: High Impact, Highly Creative?

Public sector organizations, specifically those dealing with knowledge as their product, are assumed to function on different principles than organizations in the private sector. Non-profit organizations do not represent a sector that has been studied in terms of creativity, creative problem-solving or thinking skills, although they have been the subject of study in terms of societal impact and value, specifically in the United States. There is an important gap that could be filled through exploration of non-profit organizations in Canada in terms of what has been shown to be high impact as well as high creativity. This project looks at knowledge non-profits in the injury prevention sector in Canada by using the survey validated in Forces for Good research and characteristics of creativity and change leadership

Case 6 : On the Road to Change: The Difficulties of Evaluating Social Marketing Campaigns in Public Health

Parachute is an injury-prevention charity that has started the implementation of the Vision Zero Network to address road safety in Canada. Vision Zero aims to reduce fatalities or serious injuries on the road to zero through advocacy for policy change and road infrastructure. A large part of these goals will be accomplished through a social marketing campaign that provides resources (e.g. educational information) through a Vision Zero website and social media account (Twitter). As a registered charity, Parachute relies on funding from stakeholders to sustain its programs. Consequently, Parachute must prove to stakeholders that its initiatives have contributed to change and are worth the investment. Aiden Norman, the manager of the Vision Zero project, has been assigned the task of rolling out the social marketing campaign and ensuring the effectiveness of its resources. Aiden must determine if Parachute’s Vision Zero social marketing campaign can lead to changes in public perception, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in regard to road safety. To accomplish this task Aiden must conduct an evaluation of the Vision Zero resources and their impact. The Parachute management team has a gold-standard evaluation method in mind yet lacks the resources and funding to employ the technique. How will Aiden evaluate the effectiveness of the social marketing campaign on a limited budget without compromising on quality? The goal of this case is to apply theories of behaviour change and evaluation techniques for social marketing campaigns in public health to develop a suitable, context-specific evaluation plan for Vision Zero

The Canadian Atlas of Child and Youth Injury : Mobilizing Injury Surveillance Data to Launch a National Knowledge Translation Tool

Child and youth injury prevention research in Canada has lagged behind other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development nations, despite existing surveillance systems and longitudinal data. A critical need to improve access to the available data, as well as need to tailor its display and interpretation, was identified by injury prevention stakeholders involved in research, policy, and practice. The Canadian Atlas of Child and Youth Injury Prevention ("the Atlas") was developed to address this need. Following a series of iterative consultation meetings and a pilot testing session, the Atlas was scaled up with national data. Two testing sessions were held to evaluate the tools. The Atlas is comprised of three main components: data, indicators, and visualizations. The accessibility of the dashboard is enhanced by customization of data visualizations and data outputs to suit the user's needs. Overall feedback indicated that the tools were easy to use, and that the interface was intuitive and visually appealing. The Canadian Atlas of Child and Youth Injury Prevention provides readily accessible information to injury prevention practitioners, policy makers and researchers, helping to chart pathways to success in improving the child and youth injury prevention system in Canada.Pediatrics, Department ofMedicine, Faculty ofNon UBCReviewedFacultyResearcherGraduat

An evaluation of evidence-based paediatric injury prevention policies across Canada

Background: Policies to reduce injury among Canadians can be controversial and there is variability in the enactment of injury prevention laws across the country. In general, laws are most effective when they are based on good research evidence, supported by widespread public awareness and education, and maintained by consistent enforcement strategies. The purpose of this study was to document and compare key informants’ perceptions of the quality, awareness, and enforcement of three evidence-based paediatric injury prevention policies (bicycle helmet legislation, child booster seat legislation, graduated driver licensing) among Canadian provinces and territories. Results: Thirty-eight key informants responded to the bicycle helmet survey, with 73 and 35 key informants for the booster seat and graduated driver licensing surveys, respectively. Respondent’s perceptions of the policies varied substantially. Key informants indicated that residents are not always aware of legislation, and legislation is not consistently enforced. These results suggest that child health policy is not always guided by evidence. Conclusions: There was variation between evidence and the policies related to paediatric injury prevention among Canadian provinces and territories. Experts generally rate their policies more highly when they align with evidence and best practice. There is room for improvement and harmonization of injury prevention policies.Medicine, Faculty ofOther UBCNon UBCPediatrics, Department ofPopulation and Public Health (SPPH), School ofReviewedFacultyResearche

The youth concussion awareness network (You-CAN) - a school-based peer-led intervention to improve concussion reporting and social support: the protocol for a cluster randomized trial

Abstract Background Concussion prevalence is increasing in the pediatric population, and is a matter of public health concern. Concussion symptoms can be physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioural, and last longer in high school aged youth than adults. Concussions are underreported in youth due to their lack of knowledge, social environment, perceived outcomes of reporting, norms, and self-efficacy. The Youth Concussion Awareness Network (You-CAN) is a school-based peer-led program designed to increase high school students’ intent to report a concussion, and provide social support to a peer. This study aims to investigate whether participation in You-CAN, a program grounded in service learning principles, impacts concussion knowledge, attitudes, intent to report a suspected concussion to an adult, and intent to provide social support to a peer. Secondary aims include assessing the implementation fidelity and acceptability of the intervention. Methods This longitudinal study will use a cluster randomized trial design. Three high schools from six randomly selected Canadian school boards will participate and be randomized to three study arms: (1) You-CAN led by school staff; (2) You-CAN led by school staff and research team; and (3) untreated comparison group. Intervention arms 1 and 2 will deliver the You-CAN program and create a Concussion Council at their school. The Concussion Council will deliver a concussion awareness campaign and participate in an online showcase with other participating schools. In addition, arm 2 will have monthly video-calls with the research team. A survey based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour will be administered school-wide with all arms (1, 2, 3) at two time points (beginning {T0} and end {T1} of the school year). Exit interviews will be completed with the Concussion Councils and participating school staff. Discussion This study will provide evidence of the effectiveness of a school-based peer-led concussion program on increasing concussion knowledge, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, intent to report a concussion to an adult, and intent to provide social support to a peer amongst Canadian high school students. It will also provide important information about the implementation and acceptability of the You-CAN program for high school students and staff. Trial registration This trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry (ISRCTN64944275, 14/01/2020, retrospectively registered)

Road safety, health equity, and the built environment : perspectives of transport and injury prevention professionals in five Canadian municipalities

Background: Concerns regarding health equity (HE) and the built environment (BE) are well established in the Canadian urban context. Transport and injury prevention professionals across sectors, such as transportation and public health, are involved in designing and implementing BE interventions that enhance the safety of vulnerable road users (VRUs). Results from a larger study examining barriers and facilitators to BE change are used to illustrate how transport and injury prevention professionals perceive HE concerns in their work in five Canadian municipalities. Broadening our understanding of how HE influences the professional BE change context is crucial when advocating for modifications that enhance the safety of equity-deserving VRUs and groups who experience marginalization. Methods Interview and focus group data were gathered from transport and injury prevention professionals working in policy/decision-making, transport, police services, public health, non-profit organizations, schools/school boards, community associations, and private sectors across five Canadian urban municipalities: Vancouver, Calgary, Peel Region, Toronto, and Montréal. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis (TA) to illustrate how equity considerations were perceived and applied in participants’ BE change work. Results The results of this study illustrate transport and injury prevention professionals’ awareness of the varying needs of VRUs, as well as the inadequacies of current BEs in the Canadian urban context and consultation processes utilized to guide change. Participants emphasized the importance of equitable community consultation strategies, as well as specific BE changes that would support the health and safety of VRUs. Overall, the results highlight how HE concerns inform transport and injury prevention professionals’ BE change work in the Canadian urban context. Conclusion For professionals working in urban Canadian transport and injury prevention sectors HE concerns influenced their perspectives of the BE and BE change. These results illustrate a growing need for HE to guide BE change work and consultation processes. Further, these results contribute to ongoing efforts in the Canadian urban context to ensure that HE is at the forefront of BE policy change and decision-making, while promoting existing strategies to ensure that the BE, and related decision-making processes, are accessible and informed by a HE lens.Medicine, Faculty ofNon UBCPediatrics, Department ofReviewedFacultyResearcherPostdoctoralOthe

Can child injury prevention include healthy risk promotion?

To reflect on the role of risk-taking and risky play in child development and consider recommendations for the injury prevention field, a symposium was held prior to the November 2013 Canadian Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion Conference. Delegates heard from Canadian and international researchers, practitioners and play safety experts on child development, play space design and playground safety, provision of recreation, and legal and societal perceptions of risk and hazard. The presenters provided multidisciplinary evidence and perspectives indicating the potential negative effect on children's development of approaches to injury prevention that prioritise safety and limit children's opportunities for risky play. Delegates considered the state of the field of injury prevention and whether alternative approaches were warranted. Each presenter prepared a discussion paper to provide the opportunity for dialogue beyond attendees at the symposium. The resulting discussion papers provide a unique opportunity to consider and learn from multiple perspectives in order to develop a path forward.Applied Science, Faculty ofMedicine, Faculty ofOther UBCNon UBCArchitecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA), School ofPediatrics, Department ofPopulation and Public Health (SPPH), School ofReviewedFacultyResearcherGraduat

Applying the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to examine barriers and facilitators to built environment change in five Canadian municipalities : Lessons from road safety and injury prevention professionals

Road traffic injury and death continue to be a concern in Canada. The built environment (BE) is a contributing factor affecting the health of road users, yet there are significant challenges to making injury-reducing BE changes. This research increases our knowledge of these challenges by investigating the opinions of injury prevention and road safety professionals working in Canada about the barriers and facilitators to BE change. Cross-referencing themes with the CFIR situated our findings within the scope of implementation science, which demonstrated how barriers and facilitators influence BE change project implementation. The prioritization of motor vehicles results in disproportionate injury and health risks for VRUs. Collaboration across sectors, with the support of champions and advocates, can facilitate sharing of resources, data, and expertise, which results in more opportunities to enact BE change. Knowledge of these barriers and facilitators, contextualized by the CFIR, makes a case for policy/decision-makers in Canada to approve BE projects that reduce risk of road traffic injury and death.Medicine, Faculty ofPediatrics, Department ofNon UBCReviewedFacult