Parent-Based Intervention to Improve Child Restraint Use Among Kindergarteners in China

Objectives. To evaluate the effectiveness of parent-based child restraint system (CRS) education and hands-on CRS installation training. Methods. We conducted a randomized trial with cluster sampling from May 2016 to January 2017 in 6 selected kindergarten classes in Shantou and Chaozhou, China. Parents were randomly assigned to receive 1 of the 3 study conditions: CRS education only, CRS education plus hands-on CRS installation training, or control (child electricity safety). Results. Three months after the intervention, significantly higher CRS use was reported in the CRS education plus hands-on CRS installation training group than was reported in the control group (41.2% vs 18.5%; P=.011). However, no significant difference in CRS use was found between the CRS education only and the control groups (26.7% vs 18.5%; P=.33). The ratings on child passenger safety awareness increased significantly in both intervention groups but remained unchanged in the control group after the intervention. Conclusions. The CRS education plus hands-on CRS installation training increased the use of child restraints, but the CRS education only condition did not. Both intervention methods helped to improve child passenger safety awareness.