The leading cause of long-term disability and death among teenagers and young adults is head and spinal cord injury. More than 5,000 head and spinal cord injuries occur each year in Kansas alone. The burden to Kansas residents is more than $50 million. Nearly 50 percent of all head and spinal cord injuries occur in motor vehicle crashes, where seat belts and safety helmets could have a positive effect on the outcome.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The goals of the project were:

• To educate junior and senior high school students and others about the causes and consequences of spinal cord injury
• To raise awareness about disabilities and disability issues to encourage risk management behaviors.

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

There are approximately 556 public and private junior and senior high schools in Kansas. As the program was originally conceived in 1988, a staff member and a volunteer traveled throughout the state conducting 70-90 injury prevention education programs a year. The presentation has three parts: background facts about brain injury, including causes and statistics; a video called On the Edge; and a testimonial from a survivor. There is time for questions at the end. While appropriate in the beginning, this process of using a staff member limited the number of presentations made, reduced the time spent identifying new schools and was fairly expensive.

Phase II addressed these issues. Phase II is a plan that emphasizes local volunteer presenters. These presenters are recruited from community support groups or from the rehabilitation hospitals. They are provided with a script and training. Pre- and post-presentation prevention activities in the schools reinforce the program's safety message. Schools are asked to participate in at least three prevention activities (e.g., a safety day, a seat belt check at the school, a safety poster contest).

RESULTS

Phase II resulted in an expansion of schools and students reached. During the 1993-1994 school year, there were 50 presentations reaching 3,504 students. During the 1994-1995 school year, there were 92 presentations reaching 9,386 students. During the 1995-1996 school year, there were 167 presentations reaching 17,578 students.

The program is ongoing. This year, to reach schools in rural areas where a volunteer is not available, the videotape is provided as a stand-alone piece. The response by both students and teachers to the program is favorable. An added benefit of the localization plan is an increase in community awareness and involvement.

The impact of this program will be seen over the long term, as more students wear bicycle helmets, buckle up and don't drink and drive.