RTIRN Grantees
In late 2020, the RTIRN was awarded a grant from the FIA Foundation (as part of the Child Health Initiative) to support early-career researchers conduct research to address interventions to keep children safe on their way to and from school. The research needed to utilize an implementation science approach to better understand or assess the feasibility and applicability of known good practices around keeping children safe on their way to or from school.
The purpose of these RTIRN small grants is to promote road safety research in low- and middle-income countries among early career researchers and to build more evidence for safer routes to school for children across the world.
We share with you the five early-career researchers who were awarded these small grants.
Assessing system capacity for implementing interventions for safe school routes in a Tier II city in Madhya Pradesh, India
This project aims to establish safe routes for commute to schools in the context of a Tier II urban city of India.
The study has two objectives:
- To conduct star rating for school safety among schools across diverse socio-economic neighbourhoods in a Tier II city in Madhya Pradesh, India; and
- To assess system capacity for implementation of school road safety interventions.
The study will use a sequential, mixed methods approach to evaluate the road environment quantitatively using the International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) Star Rating for School App, followed by qualitative investigation with key stakeholders to assess system capacity for implementation of safe school routes in Madhya Pradesh.
Lead Researcher: Samina Parveen
Institution: The George Institute for Global Health, India
RTIRN board mentor: Dr Margie Peden
Additional links: https://www.georgeinstitute.org/projects/assessing-system-capacity-for-implementing-interventions-for-safe-school-routes-in-a-tier
A study of Gateway Treatment at Rural School Locations in Malaysia
The goal of this study is to examine the effects of graphics on vehicle operating speeds. The hypothesis of this study is that the use of catchy graphics on overhead bridge has an influence on vehicle operating speeds.
The objectives of this study are:
- To identify the design (size, shape, colour etc.) of a visual graphics that could capture the attention of drivers at a safe distance for gradual speed reduction;
- To measure vehicle speed profiles along selected school locations with and without the visual graphics on the overhead bridge; and
- To obtain feedbacks from the community within the study locations on the impact of the visual graphics on their perception of risk.
A total of six (6) school locations with pedestrian overhead bridge on undivided roads within the State of Selangor will be selected. Three (3) of the sites will be identified to be the treatment sites and another three (3) sites will be used as control sites.
Lead Researcher: Alvin Wai Hoong Poi
Institution: Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS)
RTIRN board mentor: Dr Nhan Tran
Inclusive Mobility and Safety of School Children with Disability in Benin City, Nigeria
The aim of this study is to examine the mobility challenges and needs of school children with disabilities, with a view to improving inclusive mobility and safety of school children with disabilities in Benin City, Nigeria.
The study has four objectives:
- To determine inclusive mobility-related policy for school children with disabilities in the study area;
- To determine the mobility challenges and needs of school children with disabilities in the study area;
- To identify strategies to improve mobility and safe of school children with disabilities in the study area; and
- To make recommend policy guidelines aimed at fostering inclusive and safe mobility for school children with disability in the study area.
A qualitative research design utilizing a non-probabilistic/snowballing sampling technique will be adopted to select participants for the research. Children with physical, hearing, sight and learning disabilities will be included.
Lead Researcher: Stanley Ojekere
Institution: University of Ibadan, Nigeria
RTIRN board mentor: Dr Cristina Inclan
Additional links: This study will build on previous research conducted by the, see http://www.ajpssi.org/index.php/ajpssi/article/view/273
Design and implementation of a Video-based School children road injury prevention tool (V-SCRIPT) in Karachi: A quasi experimental study
The aim of the study is to feasibility of the application of a video-based hazard perception tool among school going children in Karachi, Pakistan. The specific objectives are:
• To test a web- based video application designed to assess and train the road hazard perception abilities of the school going children in Karachi; and
• To assess the effectiveness of web-based video application through improvement of the road hazard perception ability of the school going children in Karachi.
The aim of the study is to feasibility of the application of a video-based hazard perception tool among school going children in Karachi, Pakistan. The specific objectives are:
• To test a web- based video application designed to assess and train the road hazard perception abilities of the school going children in Karachi; and
• To assess the effectiveness of web-based video application through improvement of the road hazard perception ability of the school going children in Karachi.
A quasi-experimental (pre and post) design will be used to understand the effectiveness of intervention (video-based road hazard perception training) on school going children. The study will be performed in public and private secondary schools in Karachi and will enroll a non-random sample of 500 school children from grades 8-10.
Lead Researcher: Uzma Rahim Khan
Institution: The Aga Khan University, Department of Emergency Medicine
RTIRN board mentor: Dr Abdul Bachani
Safety education and child safety behaviour on the Road, the Gambia
This study will investigate the influence of safety education and road marks, and parent-teacher support to improve child safety behavior on the road in The Gambia. A controlled field study using real-time video recordings will be conducted to observe child safety behavior while on the road. Weekly feedbacks from video recordings will be shared with parents and teachers to provide daily safety reminders to children. The communication strategy in this study is based on Motivational Interviewing (MI), which was developed to deliver intervention messages using non-confrontational and supportive strategies. MI has shown to be much more effective than directive approaches (e.g. persuasion), or approaches that rely solely on providing information. MI approaches have been applied successfully to parent-child support programs. The study will provide great support to the Principal Investigator, an early-stage investigator, to create a research niche. It will also bring the necessary discussions to improve the safety in the schools in The Gambia as well as improve the school-related safety curriculum. Furthermore, the study will bring together the school system, parents, and the researchers to collectively identify steps to address a national public health concern.
Lead Researcher: Paul Bass
Institution: University of The Gambia
RTIRN mentor: Dr Olive Kobusingye
