PHYSICIAN KNOWLEDGE AND CLINICAL BEHAVIOR REGARDING CHILD AUTO SAFETY

Abstract

A survey was conducted in May, 1982 of physicians practicing in child related medical specialties (pediatrics, family practice, and general practice) in San Antonio to assess their influence on patients' knowledge, attitudes, and behavior regarding child auto safety. A 47-item questionnaire was mailed to 361 physicians; 139 (37.5%) returned the questionnaire. 18 true-false and multiple choice questions were used to construct a multi-item index of knowledge of child auto safety; other questions elicited sociodemographic data and personal and professional behavior with respect to child auto safety. The knowledge index was significantly correlated with doctors own use of seat belts, number of children under 5 years old, exposure to child restraints during residency, clinical behavior (asking about use of child restraints during the first well-child visit and subsequent visits, instructing parents about child auto safety, dispensing child auto safety literature in their office), being a pediatrician and being board certified. Knowledge was inversely correlated with age of the physician. However, child auto safety education of parents by physicians was generally found to be sparce and infrequent. (Of the total group, only 14% always ask at the first well-child visit if child restraints are being used, 3% always instruct parents, 4% considered themselves very familiar with the subject, 26% have literature in their offices.) Only 8% received such training during their residencies, pointing toward a need for including this subject in physician education. The dispensing of this potentially live-saving information by doctors might be a partial answer to the low motivation among mothers not now using child restraint devices.