@article{ref1,
title="Increasing smoke alarm operability through theory-based health education: a randomised trial",
journal="Journal of epidemiology and community health",
year="2014",
author="Miller, Ted R. and Bergen, Gwen and Ballesteros, Michael F. and Bhattacharya, Soma and Gielen, Andrea Carlson and Sheppard, Monique S.",
volume="68",
number="12",
pages="1168-1174",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Although working smoke alarms halve deaths in residential fires, many households do not keep alarms operational. We tested whether theory-based education increases alarm operability. <br><br>METHODS: Randomised multiarm trial, with a single arm randomly selected for use each day, in low-income neighbourhoods in Maryland, USA. Intervention arms: (1) Full Education combining a health belief module with a social-cognitive theory module that provided hands-on practice installing alarm batteries and using the alarm's hush button; (2) Hands-on Practice social-cognitive module supplemented by typical fire department education; (3) Current Norm receiving typical fire department education only. Four hundred and thirty-six homes recruited through churches or by knocking on doors in 2005-2008. Follow-up visits checked alarm operability in 370 homes (85%) 1-3.5 years after installation. Main outcome measures: number of homes with working alarms defined as alarms with working batteries or hard-wired and number of working alarms per home. Regressions controlled for alarm status preintervention; demographics and beliefs about fire risks and alarm effectiveness. <br><br>RESULTS: Homes in the Full Education and Practice arms were more likely to have a functioning smoke alarm at follow-up (OR=2.77, 95% CI 1.09 to 7.03) and had an average of 0.32 more working alarms per home (95% CI 0.09 to 0.56). Working alarms per home rose 16%. Full Education and Practice had similar effectiveness (p=0.97 on both outcome measures). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Without exceeding typical fire department installation time, installers can achieve greater smoke alarm operability. Hands-on practice is key. Two years after installation, for every three homes that received hands-on practice, one had an additional working alarm. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov number NCT00139126.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0143-005X",
doi="10.1136/jech-2014-204182",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jech-2014-204182"
}