Injury prevention training in pediatric residency programs
R. W. Zavoski, G. S. Burke, G. D. Lapidus and L. I. Banco
Connecticut Childhood Injury Prevention Center, Hartford Hospital, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, USA.
OBJECTIVES: To quantify the content and setting of injury prevention
training provided to pediatric residents and to identify aspects of
residency programs associated with this training. DESIGN: Mail survey.
SETTING: US pediatric residency programs. PARTICIPANTS: Residency program
directors. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Number of programs stating that they
train residents in various injury prevention topics, and the setting of
this training. RESULTS: More than 80% of programs addressed 92% of topics
surveyed dealing with disease prevention, but only 59% of topics dealing
with injury prevention. Injury prevention topics covered less frequently
included smoke detector use and swimming pool, sports, and firearm safety.
Programs used continuity clinics most often to teach injury prevention. No
specific program characteristic was associated with the content or setting
of injury prevention training. Residency programs located in states in
which house fires, drowning, or firearm injuries are the leading causes of
death were not more likely to offer prevention training on these topics.
CONCLUSIONS: Injury prevention is less frequently taught than disease
prevention in pediatric residency training. Injury prevention is most often
taught in continuity clinics, the setting most consistent with ongoing
primary patient care. A gap exists between the leading causes of injury
death and injury prevention topics taught to pediatric residents. Residency
programs must better recognize and adapt to the epidemiology of trauma in
their communities, better enabling new pediatricians to meet their
patient's needs.
