Increasing Seat Belt Use Among African Americans

A Public Health Perspective

Presentation by Dr. Otis Cosby

9th Annual Summer Public Health Videoconference on Minority Health

Meharry-State Farm Alliance

“United in the Drive to Save Lives”

Meharry-State Farm Alliance "United In The Drive To Save Lives"

Meharry Medical College 1999 Study

• Documented a disparity

• Save 1,300 lives

• Prevent 26,000 injuries

• Reduce costs by $2.6 billion

Meharry-State Farm Alliance "United In The Drive To Save Lives"

Blue Ribbon Panel

• U.S. Dept. of Transportation

• “Public Health Crisis”

• Recommendations

• Meharry-State Farm Alliance

Meharry-State Farm Alliance "United In The Drive To Save Lives"

Research • Wear It and Share It

– Focus Groups– Educational Intervention

• Database Analysis– MVOSS– FARS– Others

Meharry-State Farm Alliance "United In The Drive To Save Lives"

Alliance Process Model

Coalitions

Save Lives

E

D

U

C

A

T

I

O

N

DISSEMINATIONPROMOTION

R

E

S

E

A

R

C

H

Save Lives

Behavior Change

Public Policy

Communities

Coalitions Stakeholders

Meharry-State Farm Alliance

Meharry-State Farm Alliance "United In The Drive To Save Lives"

Key Points

• Framework: Public Health

• Goal: Appropriate And Consistent Use - Always (AACUA)

Meharry-State Farm Alliance "United In The Drive To Save Lives"

Key Points

• Method: Law, Enforcement, Education (LEE)

• Evaluation: Process & Outcome

Meharry-State Farm Alliance "United In The Drive To Save Lives"

Primary vs. Secondary States“All The Time Seat Belt Use”

0

20

40

60

80

100

Primary SecondaryStates

Perc

ent

Use

Blacks Whites

Meharry-State Farm Alliance "United In The Drive To Save Lives"

Primary States

• AL, CA, CT, GA, HI, IA,

• IL, LA, MD, MI, NJ, NM,

• NY, NC, OK, OR, TX,

• WA, D.C., Puerto Rico

Meharry-State Farm Alliance "United In The Drive To Save Lives"

Seat Belt Use 2002Primary vs. Secondary

75

69

80

60

65

70

75

80

85

Type of Seat Belt Enforcement Law

Perc

ent U

se

All States

Secondary

Primary

Meharry-State Farm Alliance "United In The Drive To Save Lives"

High Stakes

The 2% Difference• 5.5 million new users• 500 lives saved• Reduce severity of 8,800

serious injuries• > $900 million in societal costs

Meharry-State Farm Alliance "United In The Drive To Save Lives"

Stakeholders

• NDA

• NMA

• NHTSA • NCBM

Meharry-State Farm Alliance "United In The Drive To Save Lives"

Stakeholders

• NBCSL • NOBLE • NACHC• HBCU• ON Wheels

Meharry-State Farm Alliance "United In The Drive To Save Lives"

Multi-City Evaluation Study

A Collaboration Between

• Meharry-State Farm Alliance • National Conference of Black

Mayors • National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

Meharry-State Farm Alliance "United In The Drive To Save Lives"

Mini-Grant Recipients

• Detroit, MI

• Houston, TX

• Inglewood, CA

• Jackson, MS

• Rochester, NY

• Washington, D.C.

Meharry-State Farm Alliance "United In The Drive To Save Lives"

Multi-City Evaluation Study

• Process & Outcomes

• Coalitions

• Observations

• Web-Based

Meharry-State Farm Alliance "United In The Drive To Save Lives"

Educational Office Kit Pilot Project

• 2001 NDA & NMA Surveys

• 2002 NMA Preference Poll

• 2002 Physician & Dentist Focus Group

Meharry-State Farm Alliance "United In The Drive To Save Lives"

Educational Office Kit Pilot Project

• 2002 NDA, NDAF & NMA Leadership Meeting

• 2003 NMA Board of Trustees

Meharry-State Farm Alliance "United In The Drive To Save Lives"

Thin Line Between Life & Death

Meharry-State Farm Alliance "United In The Drive To Save Lives"

I Do, So Should You

Meharry-State Farm Alliance "United In The Drive To Save Lives"

Button & Sticker

Meharry-State Farm Alliance "United In The Drive To Save Lives"

Magnets

Meharry-State Farm Alliance "United In The Drive To Save Lives"

Educational Office Kit Cities – Secondary States

• Chicago, IL

• Jackson, MS

• Jacksonville, FL

• Little Rock, AR

• Nashville, TN

Meharry-State Farm Alliance "United In The Drive To Save Lives"

Conclusions

• Framework: Public Health

• Goal: AACUA

• Method: LEE

• Evaluation: P & O

Meharry-State Farm Alliance

Meharry Medical College Otis Cosby, MD, MSPH

615-321-2901

ocosby@mmc.edu