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  Corazón de mi vida
 
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
      February 14, 2001

 

Preliminary Findings
Yearlong Pilot Test

Introduction
The word corazón means “heart” when translated literally from Spanish, but like many Spanish words the cultural meaning is more complex. Corazón is an endearment used among family members and loved ones. Corazón de mi vida conveys a deeper message—“you are the center of my life.” This concept is the focus of a new initiative to inform Latino families about the importance of placing their young children in child safety restraints. The public information messages and outreach strategies to Latino families utilize the concept (loosely translated) this way:

“You are the center of my life, and I love you so much that I will…
             …put you in a car seat.”
             …put you in the backseat.”
             …wear my own seat belt.”

Corazón de mi vida was developed by the National Latino Children’s Institute in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Nationwide Insurance. The remarkable partnership brought together the best thinking about what works in the Latino community with resources from the public and private sectors.

Corazón de mi vida was tested with diverse Latino populations in eleven cities. In every city, a community-based organization took the lead in carrying out the project.

Preliminary findings for the Corazón de mi vida project indicate that Latinos will become more conscious of child passenger safety, buckle up their children in correctly installed safety seats and use their own seat belts when they receive safety information through culturally heartfelt messages delivered by trusted family members or community leaders.

The Issues
The death rate from motor vehicle crashes for Hispanic children between ages 5 and 12 is 72 percent greater than for non-Hispanic white children. This continues to be the leading cause of death for Hispanics under 24 years of age. It is also the third-leading cause of death for Hispanics of all ages, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer, according to statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA).

Research reveals that the Latino community is the second most vulnerable passenger group when indifference or cultural beliefs take hold and counter the use of child and passenger restraints. During recent years the significance of this problem has been emphasized in data presented by NHTSA.

According to the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Hispanics have lower rates of child safety seat use than non-Hispanic Whites [1]. It also reports that among teenagers, young Latinos (ages 13–19 years) are most at risk from death in motor vehicle crashes. [2] Hispanics ages 21–25 have the second-highest rate of traffic injury. [3]

The Latino extended family structure, coupled with poverty, can create difficult situations when it comes to using child safety seats. Safety seats are expensive, and they take up space. Many Latino families are large and some work in businesses that require trucks, and this may be the only family vehicle. Accommodating the whole family in a small car or truck poses problems. Only the most expensive trucks can accommodate more than two persons in seats, and since elders ride in the most comfortable seats, some children ride in the bed of the truck. Frequently, mothers hold the youngest child in their lap, thinking this is the safest place for them.

In addition to space and economic considerations, religious and cultural views can be misinterpreted when it comes to passenger restraints. Phrases such as “Lo que Dios quiera,” (Whatever God wants) and “De todos modos cuando me tocque me voy” (If you are meant to die, you will) suggest that using seat belts and child safety seats is irrelevant. Some persons have even said that it can invite disaster, because “you are tempting fate.”

A Model with Cultural Values
Corazón de mi vida reaches the Latino community using appealing culture-based materials combined with four unique community activities. The materials include a variety of hangers, tags, bumper stickers, lotería games and a video. Findings from the pilot test indicate that although the Corazón de mi vida materials provide information in an easy-to-use manner and offer innovative reminders to buckle up, the materials alone are not enough to change behavior. Parents and family members indicate that commitment to passenger safety practices is more likely to occur when the materials are used in combination with at least one of the outreach activities. The greatest improvement in Latino safety behavior occurred when all four activities were held within the community, and when respected leaders of the community as well as family members reinforce the messages. Corazón de mi vida activities include the following:

Parent Plática
Gatherings are hosted at Head Start and childcare centers, churches, clinics and community centers to discuss child passenger safety and common attitudes. Culturally  based materials are distributed and participants watch a demonstration of the correct installation of a safety seat. Frequently, participants receive a gift voucher for a safety seat to be distributed at a safety seat clinic. The conversations at these events are real eye-openers. This is a primary place to gather data.

Press Conference
Communities are encouraged to use special days to promote media coverage for child passenger safety. In most cities, the press events are held on Valentine’s Day (which coincides with Child Passenger Safety Week) and or April 30 El Día de los Niños Celebrating Young Americans. Community leaders, safety experts, elected officials and concerned citizens offer information and testimonials. City proclamations are read, followed by demonstrations of correct installation.

Safety Seat Blessing
This activity can be held in conjunction with any of the other three events. It is usually a very moving spiritual ceremony that results in personal commitments to protect children. A religious leader blesses the seats to be distributed and reminds parents that they have been entrusted with their child’s well-being.

Safety Seat Clinic
Usually held on a Saturday, this event encourages families to drive up to a checkpoint to test the installation of their safety seats. Families with vouchers receive safety seats if they don’t already have one. Parents and children receive bumper stickers and other materials to remind them to buckle up.

The messages and activities of the Corazón de mi vida program connect personally with each participant. They work because:

·         They center on the value of the family as the reason to practice passenger safety.

·         The messages build on the oral traditions of the Latino community, utilizing rhymes, riddles, dichos (sayings) and finger games as reminders.

·         Family gatherings and cultural celebrations are the key outreach tools. El Día de los Niños, birthdays, El Día de los Muertos and Mother’s Day are recommended for special events such as safety seat clinics.

·         Both Spanish and English are used to convey information.

·         The messages build on what families are already doing right.

·         Strategies are targeted to different ages and roles so that everyone who lives in the household can reinforce the message.

·         Information is relayed through trusted community organizations as well as family members and friends.

·         The Hispanic media plays a significant role in getting the message out.

The Pilot Test
Twelve community-based organizations were invited to participate in the development and pilot testing of the Corazón de mi vida materials and strategies. Each organization was a previous winner of La Promesa de un Futuro Brillante, selected for its exemplary work on behalf of young Latinos. Additional pilot tests were conducted in El Paso and Del Rio.

Each program participated in a training session with NLCI staff and received a video on how to organize a Corazón de mi vida blessing, press conference, safety seat clinic and plática. Nationwide Insurance provided funds for pilot site travel to the training as well as child safety seats and mini-grants to cover expenses for the events.

Most of the activities were conducted in conjunction with El Dia de los Niños Celebrating Young Americans or Child Passenger Safety Week. All events were held at a well-known site in the Latino community.

·         Nine programs held a parent plática to discuss child passenger safety.

·         Ten programs held a blessing and child safety seat giveaway plus a checkup.

·         851 families participated in the pláticas.

·         1,003 families participated in the safety seat clinics

                                                                                

Results

Although half the 1,003 families participating in the safety seat inspections had installed safety seats in their vehicles, 99 percent of the seats failed inspection. Some were installed in the front seat, some had very loose straps, others were the wrong-size seats for the child or were damaged and too old. At some sites 100 percent were installed incorrectly.

Of the 1,003 vehicles that participated in the inspection clinics, 461 infants/children arrived without a safety seat. Children in the vehicles rode in a parent’s lap or in a hand-held infant carrier. These families received a new safety seat and were given instructions on how to install it correctly.

Most of these families were made aware of the need to protect their children at one of the parent pláticas held at the pilot site and had received vouchers for a new seat. This group was also the most committed to spreading the word about child passenger safety. Eighty-six percent (86%) said they would be willing to attend another plática or child passenger safety event. Sixty-five percent (65%) were very concerned for their families and said they would bring a relative to the next event.

Following is a summary of findings and recommendations for action.

ISSUE

FINDING

RECOMMENDATION

Getting the word out

The Latino community is not getting information about child passenger safety. Traditional messages and communication systems used for the general market are not reaching Latinos.

This is evident from the large number of children arriving at the events without a safety seat and the 99% failure rate for those who brought their seats to the events for inspection.

The Latino community has its own vehicles for communication, and these must be used in order to reach the community.

Nontraditional outreach strategies such as those in the Corazón de mi vida  model need to be used to make the connection with Latinos. Latinos must see themselves appropriately represented in messages, materials and events.

The best messengers

Parents participating in NLCI focus groups said that they get most of their information about raising their children through a friend or relative. Very few mentioned pediatricians or books. Those enrolled in parenting programs such as Avance described how much their knowledge had been expanded as a result of the program.

 

Latinos are more likely to use information presented by a relative, trusted friend, a service provider with which they have a relationship or through an event sponsored by an organization they trust.

Future outreach efforts conducted by NHTSA must take into account the informal communication patterns in the Latino community.


Where Latino families get child passenger safety information

Most participants found out about the Corazón de mi vida events through word of mouth or fliers handed to them personally at organizations they trust (childcare center, Head Start, etc.)

Parents participating in the focus group were asked where they would go to get child passenger safety information. They responded:

  43.5% family
  17.9% parenting class
  10.2% friends
  10.2% television
  10.2% newspaper
  5% radio
  2% personal research

Traffic safety messages need to be targeted to all extended family members with encouragement to spread the word about safety restraints to other members of the family.

Special events should include the whole family in order to reinforce messages.

Where to hold events

There is a great deal of mistrust of government or large institutions in the Latino community. This is due to historical experiences in the United States and other countries.

The Latino community is more likely to attend a safety event at a familiar site in their neighborhood.

Safety events should be planned at the local Head Start center, clinic, multiservice center, neighborhood store or park, rather than across town at large institutions such as hospitals, which have been used for outreach in the past.

Availability of funds

Latino nonprofit organizations are the most underfunded group in the country, receiving less than 2% of philanthropic dollars (Hispanics in Philanthropy 1998), yet they are the most trusted group to inform the Latino community.

Latino organizations must have additional funding or sponsorship in order to provide child passenger safety information. This is not a service for which they are typically funded. Without a sponsor, they cannot provide the service.

Information and training on how to apply to state agencies and legislatures for funding of safety activities in the Latino community must be provided to Latino nonprofit organizations.


 

Necessary promotion

Many Latino nonprofit organizations are very effective in providing direct services to the Latino community, but they lack the clout to command the attention they need from funding sources. Frequently hospitals and similar institutions with large safety training budgets and resources ask Latino nonprofit groups to help get the word out about safety to the Latino community.

Large institutions and state and city governments need to be encouraged to create partnerships with Latino community-based organizations and to make funds available to them for costs associated with safety activities. Small organizations cannot join partnerships if their overhead costs are not covered.

Connecting with families

Information is not getting to the Latino community through traditional channels, i.e., pediatrician’s offices, hospitals, etc.

The large number of children arriving at inspection clinics without a safety seat suggests an enormous gap in access to information about what children need.

 

Every organization that planned an event for El Día de los Niños connected with parents who typically might not have attended a traditional planned safety seat checkup. El Día de los Niños can become a much more effective center for child passenger safety activity with additional support from each target community.

Special events and holidays should be carefully explored for every opportunity to connect with Latino families.

Immigrants

New residents of the United States do not know the laws and may not be familiar with the latest information on child passenger safety.

There are new clusters of immigrants living in communities where Spanish-language services are not readily available, such as North Carolina and Arkansas.

Future projects should include special outreach activities and messages for immigrant groups.

Materials and cultural outreach training must be made available for organizations that have little experience in working with Latinos. The families served by these organizations must be familiarized with child passenger safety and state laws.

Gender issues

Most participants in events along the U.S.-Mexico border were women and said they were the responsible party for installing car seats in their home. Some felt this was considered a woman’s job because it was a “family type” task.

The issue of fathers not using seat belts for their own safety was a prominent topic of conversation in several cities, particularly Denver. Almost all participants said they wished their spouses could attend a plática or event.

A strategy targeting Latino fathers, brothers and uncles must be developed in order to create lasting behavior change in the Latino household. Everyone must be responsible for the family’s safety.

Adequate resources

Every event held by La Promesa programs had limited safety seats and ran out before all needy families received one. In some cases, event coordinators were able to collaborate with Safe Kids and other groups to distribute and inspect seats. In one community, other safety groups became a competing entity and pulled technicians from the event to support events they considered “more important.”

It is not enough for national Latino organizations to have agreements with NHTSA. A national partnership agreement should be developed among the parties that hold the largest number of resources for safety seat campaigns and national Latino organizations that can effectively reach the Latino community.

Developing a national strategy

More booster seats were needed when the events took place at Head Start childcare centers because of the large number of older preschool children. These seem to be natural sites for informing Latino parents with children 4 years of age.

A national strategy must be developed for reaching Latino children through the entire Head Start network. Initial meetings were held last year with officials from the Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services. Since the change of administration, no further effort has been made. NLCI and NHTSA should introduce the Corazón de mi vida program to the new administration.

Corazón de mi vida Pilot Sites

Lisa Oglesby-Rocha, Executive Director
Avance Dallas, Dallas, TX

Raquel Oliva, Executive Director
Avance Rio Grande Valley , McAllen, TX

Becky Cervantes, Executive Director
Avance San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 

Celine Woznica, Director
Child-to-Child Program, Alivio Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60608

Shari Schwartz, Program Manager
Focus on First Graders, El Paso I.S.D., El Paso, TX 

Steve Stewart, Evaluation Coordinator
LARASA, Denver, CO

Maggie Cervantes, Executive Director
Mariposa Program, New Economics For Women, Los Angeles, CA

Adelina Fritz 
Parent Child, Inc., San Antonio, TX  

Eva J. Rosas-Amirault, Director
Plainfield Bilingual Day Care Center, Plainfield, NJ

Arturo Lopez, Transportation Director
Texas Migrant Council, Laredo, TX 

Lety Navarro
Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic, Grandview, WA 


[1] “Motor Vehicle Occupant Deaths among Hispanic and Black Children and Teenagers.” March. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine Vol. 152, Dec 1998. P. 1211.

[2] “Motor Vehicle Occupant Deaths.” Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine Vol. 152, Dec 1998. Pp. 1209-1212.

[3] “Ethnicity and Alcohol-Related Fatalities.” 1990-1994. Tippetts and Voas.

 

 

This project is possible with funding from

U.S. Department of Transportation         People Saving People

 

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