Home, Leisure, and Sports Accidents in an Active Population: Perspectives for Prevention through Health Education

Résumé 0

Resulting from the findings of epidemiological surveys on non-work-related accidents conducted in 1996 and 1997 among employees covered by a special health insurance programme for gas and electric company workers, this article identifies avoidable and recurrent accidents that may be targeted by health education interventions. It also emphasizes the importance of considering the needs expressed by the population at large when developing the themes for information campaigns. Finally, it proposes a sequel to the “survey – action plan” released in 1996. The proposed follow-up takes into account the occupational setting and its professionally-related barriers, and includes delivering prevention messages, conducting in-house experimental health promotion activities (and evaluating them), and disseminating intermediary external campaigns aimed at impeding avoidable accidents among adults. The preventable accidents identified in this study are not specific to the employed population group studied here; they may also be targeted by more general health promotion programmes and interventions.