Latrobe Safe Communities: Latrobe Valley Better Health Project

Background

Program Goals:

To utilize a community intervention approach to prevent injuries, reduce hazards and increase public awareness of injury prevention

Intent:

Unintentional

Risk Factors Addressed:

Targets home, playground and sports injuries, and alcohol misuse among youth

Place of occurrence:

Community Health and Safety

Age/Age Range:

All Ages; focus upon children and youth

Resources

Year Developed:

Launched in 1992 following developmental phase begun in 1990

Collaborative Organization(s):

Victorian Health Promotion Foundation
Health Department of Victoria
Monash University Accident Research Centre
Communities

Funding Resource(s):

Initial funding received from the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation; later received financial support from both private and public sources

Implementation

Context/Setting:

Community

Strategies Used:

Evaluation, Education, Engineering, Enactment

Activities Used:

Utilized two separate injury-surveillance data collection systems Methodical planning, implementation and evaluation of health promotion and education programs
Development of initial and ongoing steering committees
Multifactorial intervention
Close collaboration with community and governmental groups
Utilizes both educational and legislative approaches

Program Evaluation:

Planned impact evaluation
Evaluation was based on five years of emergency department injury surveillance data for the Latrobe Valley

Source of Best Practice:

Volpe, R., Lewko, J., & Battra, A. (2002). A Compendium of Effective, Evidence-Based Best Practices in Prevention of Neurotrauma. University of Toronto Press, Toronto.

Original Source:

Based upon successful Swedish model implemented during the 1980?s

Supplementary Material:

N/A

Local Example(s):

N/A

Contact Information:           

Henk Harberts, Coordinator - Community Safety Promotion
Latrobe Valley Better Health Project
Latrobe Shire Council
PO Box 345
3844 Traralgon
Victoria, Australia
Tel: (61) (03) 51 731 506
Fax: (61) (03) 51 731 558
Email: henka@latrobe.vic.gov.au

Outcomes

Long-term outcomes/Effectiveness:

Increase in purchase of home safety items
Public playground equipment and surfaces upgraded for greater safety

Short-term outcomes:

Significant decreases observed in all targeted injuries

Other

Date of Review:

2000

Classification:

Best Practice