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dc.contributor.authorMiller, Ted
dc.contributor.authorBergen, G.
dc.contributor.authorBallasteros, M.
dc.contributor.authorBattacharya, S.
dc.contributor.authorGielen, A.
dc.contributor.authorSheppard, M.
dc.date.accessioned2017-01-30T14:33:11Z
dc.date.available2017-01-30T14:33:11Z
dc.date.created2015-05-24T20:00:40Z
dc.date.issued2014
dc.identifier.citationMiller, T. and Bergen, G. and Ballasteros, M. and Battacharya, S. and Gielen, A. and Sheppard, M. 2014. Increasing smoke alarm operability through theory-based health education: a randomised trial. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. 68: pp. 1168-1174.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/39350
dc.identifier.doi10.1136/jech-2014-204182
dc.description.abstract

Background - Although working smoke alarms halve deaths in residential fires, many households do not keep alarms operational. We tested whether theory-based education increases alarm operability. Methods - Randomised multiarm trial, with a single arm randomly selected for use each day, in low-income neighbourhoods in Maryland, USA. Intervention arms: (1) Full Education combining a health belief module with a social-cognitive theory module that provided hands-on practice installing alarm batteries and using the alarm's hush button; (2) Hands-on Practice social-cognitive module supplemented by typical fire department education; (3) Current Norm receiving typical fire department education only. Four hundred and thirty-six homes recruited through churches or by knocking on doors in 2005–2008. Follow-up visits checked alarm operability in 370 homes (85%) 1–3.5 years after installation. Main outcome measures: number of homes with working alarms defined as alarms with working batteries or hard-wired and number of working alarms per home. Regressions controlled for alarm status preintervention; demographics and beliefs about fire risks and alarm effectiveness. Results - Homes in the Full Education and Practice arms were more likely to have a functioning smoke alarm at follow-up (OR=2.77, 95% CI 1.09 to 7.03) and had an average of 0.32 more working alarms per home (95% CI 0.09 to 0.56). Working alarms per home rose 16%. Full Education and Practice had similar effectiveness (p=0.97 on both outcome measures). Conclusions - Without exceeding typical fire department installation time, installers can achieve greater smoke alarm operability. Hands-on practice is key. Two years after installation, for every three homes that received hands-on practice, one had an additional working alarm.

dc.publisherBMJ Publishing
dc.subjectsmoke alarms
dc.subjecttheory-based education
dc.subjectdemographics
dc.subjectfire risks
dc.titleIncreasing smoke alarm operability through theory-based health education: a randomised trial
dc.typeJournal Article
dcterms.source.volume68
dcterms.source.startPage1168
dcterms.source.endPage1174
dcterms.source.issn0143-005X
dcterms.source.titleJournal of Epidemiology and Community Health
curtin.departmentCentre for Population Health Research
curtin.accessStatusOpen access via publisher


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