This proposal utilizes proven effective interventions to reduce home injuries caused by fires, scalds, and carbon monoxide. Using participatory methods, we propose to study the dissemination of lithium smoke alarms, hot water safety, and carbon monoxide detectors in census tracts at high risk in East Baltimore. The proposal is specifically responsive to research requested by the CCEHIP in its focus on unintentional injury prevention and healthy homes as well as that requested by the NCHM in its focus on the utilization of effective partnerships to improve dissemination to high risk populations. The proposed research builds on the ongoing community work of four organizations: 1) The CARES Mobile Safety Resource Center;2) The Baltimore City Fire Department;3) The Center for Community Health Education, Advocacy, Leadership, and Training;and 4) The Environmental Justice Partnership. Together, this team proposes dissemination research to: 1) Describe the implementation of a community program promoting adoption of effective injury prevention interventions in low income, urban neighborhoods by completing a) in depth interviews with community partners and stakeholders and b) a process evaluation of the program;2) Determine the diffusion of the program among families in the selected neighborhoods by conducting household surveys in two communities (intervention and comparison) to measure program awareness, participation, knowledge and adoption of the injury prevention interventions;3) Determine the maintenance of injury prevention interventions among families who participated in the program by conducting a six-month follow up visit with a cohort of program participants;and 4) Identify the mechanisms through which the program could be scaled-up and institutionalized to address the needs of all high-risk communities throughout the city by conducting key informant interviews with selected policy makers and other leaders. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods is proposed, including interviews, document reviews, and home observations. Utilization of multiple types of research methods will help advance the scientific approach to dissemination research. Results will also yield new knowledge about how best to disseminate effective interventions to reduce burns and carbon monoxide poisoning among children and families living in high risk, urban communities.
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