Injury prevention programs: do they really make a difference?

Brain and spinal cord injuries are a leading cause of death and disability for the youth of Canada (Damba et al, 1996). The costs of these injuries to the individual, the family, and society at large are immense. Most of these injuries are preventable (Tator et al, 1993). Over the last decade, a number of injury prevention programs have been developed to address the high incidence of traumatic central nervous system (CNS) injuries in young people. However, what remains unclear is how effective these programs are in terms of altering risk-taking behaviours. The following paper/presentation will highlight three injury prevention programs currently offered in the Toronto area: The Party Program. The Heroes Program, and The Think First Program. Each program will be outlined in terms of historical development and infrastructure, content, setting, format, and intended audience. In addition, each program will be evaluated based on criteria established by the author. Measurement of outcomes will also be addressed.