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The Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP) in the UK: a pilot study
1Department of Child Health, University of Glasgow, UK.
Insights
The Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP) shows promise for UK paediatric injury prevention, despite initial challenges with staff compliance. This system can identify hazardous environments and at-risk children for targeted interventions.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Paediatric Injury Prevention
- Health Informatics
Background:
- The Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP) is a surveillance system designed to collect data on injuries.
- Evaluating its applicability in a UK paediatric setting is crucial for adapting injury prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility, strengths, weaknesses, and preventive utility of CHIRPP in a UK paediatric setting.
- To determine if CHIRPP can be effectively implemented for injury surveillance and prevention.
Main Methods:
- An operational evaluation of CHIRPP was conducted in a paediatric accident and emergency department in Glasgow, UK.
- Data on 2516 children (0-13 years) were collected using CHIRPP forms over 22 months.
- Strengths and weaknesses were assessed through observation, staff discussions, and software/output scrutiny.
Main Results:
- CHIRPP implementation faced initial technical issues but ran smoothly thereafter.
- Parental compliance was high, but low staff compliance led to a reduced capture rate.
- Data analysis revealed CHIRPP's potential for identifying hazardous environments and vulnerable child subgroups.
Conclusions:
- CHIRPP demonstrates potential as a valuable tool for injury prevention planning in the UK.
- The system can inform national, regional, and local injury prevention initiatives by highlighting specific risks and populations.
Objectives:
To assess the feasibility, strengths and weaknesses, and preventive utility of the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP) in a paediatric setting in the UK.
Design:
Implementation and operational evaluation of CHIRPP.
Setting:
A paediatric accident and emergency department in Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
Methods:
CHIRPP forms were used to collect and analyse data on the circumstances, mechanisms, and types of injuries in 2516 children (age range 0-13 years) presenting to the accident and emergency department over the period of 1 April 1993 to 31 January 1995. The strengths and weaknesses of CHIRPP were assessed by direct observation, discussion with staff, operation of the CHIRPP software, and scrutiny of the output.
Results:
After initial technical problems, CHIRPP ran smoothly. Although parental compliance was high, staff compliance was low, and this resulted in a low capture rate. Tabulations indicated the potential of the system for identifying both hazardous environments and vulnerable population subgroups at whom specific preventive measures can be targeted. Specific proposals for enhancing the efficiency and preventive utility of CHIRPP in this setting were formulated.
Conclusions:
CHIRPP offers hospitals, public health departments, and government agencies in the UK a promising tool for planning national, regional, and local injury prevention.