Abstract
BackgroundRisk-taking behavior is a leading cause of injury and death amongst young people.Methodology and Principal FindingsThis was a retrospective cohort study on the effectiveness of a 1-day youth injury awareness education program (Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth, P.A.R.T.Y.) program in reducing risk taking behaviors and injuries of juvenille justice offenders in Western Australia. Of the 3659 juvenile justice offenders convicted by the court magistrates between 2006 and 2010, 225 were referred to the P.A.R.T.Y. education program. In a before and after survey of these 225 participants, a significant proportion of them stated that they were more receptive to modifying their risk-taking behavior (21% before vs. 57% after). Using data from the Western Australia Police and Department of Health, the incidence of subsequent offences and injuries of all juvenile justice offenders was assessed. The incidence of subsequent traffic or violence-related offences was significantly lower for those who had attended the program compared to those who did not (3.6% vs. 26.8%; absolute risk reduction [ARR] = 23.2%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 19.9%–25.8%; number needed to benefit = 4.3, 95%CI 3.9–5.1; p = 0.001), as were injuries leading to hospitalization (0% vs. 1.6% including 0.2% fatality; ARR = 1.6%, 95%CI 1.2%–2.1%) and alcohol or drug-related offences (0% vs. 2.4%; ARR 2.4%, 95%CI 1.9%–2.9%). In the multivariate analysis, only P.A.R.T.Y. education program attendance (odds ratio [OR] 0.10, 95%CI 0.05–0.21) and a higher socioeconomic background (OR 0.97 per decile increment in Index of Relative Socioeconomic Advantage and Disadvantage, 95%CI 0.93–0.99) were associated with a lower risk of subsequent traffic or violence-related offences.SignificanceParticipation in an injury education program involving real-life trauma scenarios was associated with a reduced subsequent risk of committing violence- or traffic-related offences, injuries, and death for juvenille justice offenders.
Highlights
Injury is the leading cause of death among young people, responsible for two-thirds of deaths in those under the age of 24 in Australia [1]
In Western Australia, about 2,500 to 3,000 hospitalizations each year are related to injuries from motor vehicle accidents [3]
Of the 3659 juvenile justice offenders sentenced by court magistrates during the study period, 225 were referred to the P.A.R.T.Y. education program
Summary
Injury is the leading cause of death among young people, responsible for two-thirds of deaths in those under the age of 24 in Australia [1]. Injury is associated with a significant number of hospitalizations, disability and costs. In Western Australia, about 2,500 to 3,000 hospitalizations each year are related to injuries from motor vehicle accidents [3]. The population incidence of head injury in Western Australia is approximately 20 per 100,000 person-years (95% confidence interval: 17–22), resulting in severe disability in a significant number of young people [4,5]. In 2003, the annual cost of motor vehicle accidents in Australia was approximately $17 billion and accounted for about 2.3% of the Gross Domestic Product [6]. Risk-taking behavior is a leading cause of injury and death amongst young people
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