O17: A Hospital based Injury Prevention Program: The P.A.R.T.Y. Program (Prevent Alcohol and Risk Related Trauma in Youth©)

The Prevent Alcohol and Risk Related Trauma in Youth (P.A.R.T.Y.) program is an injury prevention program set up in 2011 at a Level-1 trauma center in Germany. Its objective is the prevention of road traffic accidents among young road users. Our goal is to enable adolescents to recognize risks and to improve life-changing behavior to reduce the severity of injury and the number of killed young road users. Since 2011, a standardized program was set up. It is designed as a 1-day interactive course showing the workaday life of a trauma unit and to provide information about potential physical and psychological impact that result from traumatic injury. Besides showing young road users the way of trauma management using an in-vivo setting, the PARTY program is supported by former trauma patients, the police and paramedics who talk about their daily life. At present, the program is set up in 18 locations and was done more than 200 times in Trauma hospitals across Germany. To obtain a certain standard, Instructors are getting educated to set up the program across the nation. A first systematic evaluation was made between 2011 and 2013 including 219 young road users. The results were analyzed to find out whether it is possible to implement the program and the impressions gained by the participants of the program in order to be able to make further adjustments. A national study designed as a complete survey evaluating efficiency and awareness concerning high-risk behavior of young road users is planned for 2016/2017. Based on the results of our first evaluation we are able to show a positive feedback with regard to the implementation and feasibility of the program. All participants reviewed the structure of the program with the help of school grades. 59% (n=129) of the participants rated the program as “very good” and 41% gave the rating of “good”. Overall, 70% of all participants advocated that all people the same age should participate in the program. The structure was described as being well-balanced with respect to the theoretical and practical items. The P.A.R.T.Y. program is a standardized and well-established concept that can contribute to accident prevention in Germany. It provides the possibility to implement an accident awareness program throughout Germany. Initial results show that the program can be implemented in German hospitals. Further investigations are needed to proof efficiency and an alteration of awareness in young road users.