The effect of a ski and snowboard injury prevention video on safety knowledge in children and adolescents

Abstract

It is believed youth snow‐sports injuries are preventable through adequate safety education. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a ski and snowboard injury prevention video on youth safety knowledge. A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted among grade 2‐9 students participating in a ski‐snowboard school program. The intervention group watched a new injury prevention video. The control group watched the general ski‐area orientation video. Students completed a 15‐question ski‐snowboard safety test before, immediately after, and one month after viewing. Within‐subject difference between the pre‐ and post‐questionnaire scores was calculated. Linear mixed‐effects model assessed difference in knowledge change scores. 1034 students (seven intervention; 10 control schools) were enrolled. Pre‐ to‐post‐test knowledge increased by an average of 1.91 in the intervention (n = 388) and 0.10 points in the control (n = 646). The difference between the immediate and one‐month post‐test was 0.17 for the intervention (n = 122) and 0.60 for the control (n = 130). The mean change score for the immediate post‐test was greater in the intervention (1.77; 95% CI: 1.52‐2.03). The mean change score between the immediate and one‐month post‐test was lower (−0.55; 95% CI: −1.07 to 0.02) for the intervention compared with the control. The findings showed a ski‐snowboard safety video can increase knowledge immediately after viewing within a school‐aged population.