Evaluation of give kids a boost: A school-based program to increase booster seat use among urban children in economically disadvantaged areas.

Objective: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a series of 1-year multifaceted school-based programs aimed at increasing booster seat use among urban children 4-7 years of age in economically disadvantaged areas.

Methods: During 4 consecutive school years, 2011-2015, the Give Kids a Boost (GKB) program was implemented in a total of 8 schools with similar demographics in Dallas County. Observational surveys were conducted at project schools before project implementation (P), 1-4 weeks after the completion of project implementation (P), and 4-5 months later (P).

Preventing deaths and injuries from house fires: a cost-benefit analysis of a community-based smoke alarm installation programme.

Background: Operation Installation (OI), a community-based smoke alarm installation programme in Dallas, Texas, targets houses in high-risk urban census tracts. Residents of houses that received OI installation (or programme houses) had 68% fewer medically treated house fire injuries (non-fatal and fatal) compared with residents of non-programme houses over an average of 5.2 years of follow-up during an effectiveness evaluation conducted from 2001 to 2011.

Preventing deaths and injuries from house fires: an outcome evaluation of a community-based smoke alarm installation programme.

Background: Few studies have examined the impact of community-based smoke alarm (SA) distribution programmes on the occurrence of house fire-related deaths and injuries (HF-D/I).

Objective: To determine whether the rate of HF-D/I differed for programme houses that had a SA installed through a community-based programme called Operation Installation, versus non-programme houses in the same census tracts that had not received such a SA.

Methods: Teams of volunteers and firefighters canvassed houses in 36 high-risk target census tracts in Dallas, TX, between April 2001 and April 2011, and installed lithium-powered SAs in houses where residents were present and gave permission.

How long do smoke alarms function? A cross-sectional follow-up survey of a smoke alarm installation programme.

Objective: To assess the functionality of lithium-powered smoke alarms that had been installed through a community-based programme called Operation Installation (OI).

Methods: A random sample was chosen of homes that had received smoke alarms through OI, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 years previously. Sampled homes were visited, and information collected included functional status of smoke alarms.

Impact of errors in age estimates on the classification of proper child occupant restraint use: an observational survey.

Background: Proper classification of child occupant restraint use is dependent on the age of the child occupant. Observations of vehicle restraint use involve estimating child age. If estimates of age are incorrect, then a potential for misclassification of restraint use exists.

A controlled evaluation of the WHO Safe Communities model approach to injury prevention: increasing child restraint use in motor vehicles.

Objective: To measure the effect of the WHO Safe Communities model approach to increasing child restraint use in motor vehicles.

Design: Pre- and post-intervention observations of restraint use in motor vehicles in several sites in the target area, and in a comparison area community.

Setting: Community; southeast Dallas, Texas, 2003-2005.

The "unintended pedestrian" on expressways.

Objective: To explore the epidemiology of pedestrian deaths in Dallas County, Texas, and to compare factors associated with pedestrian deaths on expressways versus those that occurred on other roadways.

Methods: We studied all pedestrian deaths among persons 15 years of age or older in Dallas County, Texas, from 1997 to 2004 by linking data from Medical Examiner's office, the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, and local police records. Univariate and multivariate analysis compared various factors associated with death on an expressway.

Childhood injuries due to falls from apartment balconies and windows.

Background: Falls from balconies and windows are an important cause of childhood injury. This study investigated the circumstances around such falls and attempted to identify possible measures for their prevention.

Population: Children <15 years living in Dallas County, Texas.

Residential fire related deaths and injuries among children: fireplay, smoke alarms, and prevention.

Background: The aim of the study was to describe the epidemiology of residential fire related deaths and injuries among children, and identify risk factors for these injuries through a linked dataset for the city of Dallas, Texas.

Methods: Data for all residential fires were linked with fire related injury data, using fire department records, ambulance transports, hospital admissions, and medical examiner records, for children 0-19 years of age. Causes of fires, including fireplay (children playing with fire or combustibles), arson and other causes, were determined by fire department investigation.

Deaths and injuries from house fires.

Background: We sought to define the factors associated with house fires and related injuries by analyzing the data from population-based surveillance.

Methods: For 1991 through 1997, we linked the following data for Dallas: records from the fire department of all house fires (excluding fires in apartments and mobile homes), records of patients transported by ambulance, hospital admissions, and reports from the medical examiner of fatal injuries.

Results: There were 223 injuries (91 fatal and 132 nonfatal) from 7190 house fires, for a rate of 5.