Please note: In 2003, the CTF updated its Grades of Recommendations to include an "I Recommendation" for situations where insufficient evidence exists to allow a recommendation to be made. (Formerly, these situations were captured under a "C Recommendation".) This change is not retroactive, and all "C Recommendations" made prior to 2003 have not been reevaluated in light of the new "I" recommendation grade. For a discussion of these recommendation grades, please link to the 2003 article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal here.
| MANEUVER | EFFECTIVENESS | LEVEL OF EVIDENCE <REF> | RECOMMENDATION |
| Use of window and stairway guards | |||
| a) Legislation | Association between falls in infants with hazardous environments (i.e., walkers and stairs). | Cohort analytic study <19> (II-1) | Fair evidence to implement. (B) |
| b) Individual counselling | Counselling can increase recognition of hazards in the home, but impact on injury unknown. | Randomized controlled trial <17> (I) | Fair evidence to include in periodic health examination. (B) |
| Teach young children water safety and swimming skills | |||
| a) Public Health Education/Legislation | Requiring private and public pools to conform to safety standards reduces drownings. | Cohort study <21> (II-2) | Fair evidence to implement. (B) |
| b) Individual counselling | Little information about ability of physician to influence teaching of water safety and swimming skills. | Expert opinion <20> (III) | Insufficient evidence to include or exclude in periodic health examination. (C) |
| Never leave young children (<36 months) alone in bath tub | |||
| a) Public Health Education | Association between drowning and unattended infants. | Cohort study <19> (II-2) | Fair evidence to implement. (B) |
| b) Individual counselling | Little information about ability of physician to influence supervision of children in bath. | Expert opinion (III) | Insufficient evidence to include or exclude in periodic health examination. (C) |
| Use safety devices such as smoke detectors, non-flammable sleepwear and hot water thermostat settings | |||
| a) Public Health Education/Legislation | Association between burns in young children with lack of safety features in their environment. | Non-randomized trial <22> (II-1) | Fair evidence to implement. (B) |
| b) Individual counselling | Counselling can increase the number of safety features in the home but impact on injury is unknown. | Randomized controlled trial <17> (I) | Fair evidence to include in periodic health examination. (B) |
| Use of Ipecac and Regional Poison Centre Awareness | |||
| a) Public Health Education/Legislation | Association between poisoning in young children and parental lack of awareness of poison treatment modalitites. | Randomized controlled trial <24> (I) | Good evidence to implement. (A) |
| b) Individual counselling | Counselling can generate a significant short-term improvement in the use of poison treatment modalities. | Comparison of times and places <25> (II-3) | Fair evidence to include in periodic health examination. (B) |
| Use of helmets when riding bicycles | |||
| a) Public Health Education/Legislation | Association between severity of head injury in cyclists and non-use of helmets. | Case-control study <26> (II-2) | Fair evidence to implement. (B) |
| b) Individual counselling | Limited ability of physician to influence use of helmets. | Randomized controlled trial <29> (I) | Insufficient evidence to include or exclude in periodic health examination. (C) |
Link to Full Text of this review
Link to Structured Abstract of this review
Link to Selected References list of this review
Link to 1994 chapter: Prevention of Household and Recreational Injuries in Adults
Link to 1994 chapter: Prevention of Household and Recreational Injuries in the Elderly
Reprinted in modified format by the Canadian
Task Force on Preventive Health Care
with permission.
Original Copyright
© 1994 Minister of Supply and Services Canada.
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Last modified March 27, 1998.
