IFCK: Current Projects
IFCK Philadelphia strives to adopt and implement evidence-based programming followed by evaluation and assessment of the impact of individual interventions in our target communities.
Increasing Awareness of Booster Seats
In April 2008, IFCK of Philadelphia initiated a social norms marketing initiative to promote booster seat use for parents less likely to use booster seats for their 3- to 8-year-old children in Norristown, PA. This project expanded upon the strategies that emerged from research conducted at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. This earlier research showed that educational outreach in combination with certain messaging (“Using a booster seat leaves no room for regret”) motivated parents with a high school education or less to use booster seats and proper restraints for this age group.The goal of the project was to test a refined social marketing campaign using the preferred method in this population to evaluate its effectiveness in raising booster seat use norms in a community. Data was collected by randomly calling parents and observing vehicles in Norristown (intervention) and York (control) to determine attitudes, beliefs and current booster seat use behaviors. This data was used to inform the social marketing campaign messages and materials.
The research team partnered with key stakeholders at the County Health Department, WIC offices, schools, churches and other locations throughout Norristown. During the campaign parents and personnel were offered educational sessions and materials. Parents who agreed to the offer received a free booster seat for their child, as well as the opportunity to view a video on the correct way to use it and educational materials to take home. More than 250 booster seats were distributed to families during the campaign.
In April 2009, the research team plans to measure the effect of the campaign conducted in Norristown compared to the control city of York. If the outcome of the campaign is successful, the project plans to expand to additional sites in fall 2009.