Statement of purpose An injury prevention program at an academic medical centre in California collaborated with community-based family resource centres (FRC) to disseminate culturally competent child passenger safety education to underserved populations. The purpose of this evaluation was to determine if the hospital’s standardised program curriculum retained effectiveness in increasing caregiver child passenger safety knowledge and self-efficacy after cultural adaptation and delivery by community partners.

Methods/Approach The curriculum was implemented with language and cultural adaptations appropriate FRC client population by FRC staff that had completed national child passenger safety technician training. Standardised intervention included: a one-hour class taught in English, Spanish, or Russian; a brief video in the relevant language; hands on demonstration; and the distribution of a no cost car. Program evaluation was conducted using a pre/post self-reporting survey, administered in the language used to teach the class. The mean of correct responses was used to create pre and post knowledge scores, which were then compared using a paired t-test.

Results A total of 839 caregivers from 9 community sites and 1 hospital participated in the education program and completed a pre/post survey. Of these, 512 participants spoke English, 302 Spanish, and 25 Russian. While baseline knowledge varied significantly between sites, posttest knowledge scores indicated a significant increase in caregiver knowledge and self-efficacy at all locations. There were no significant differences in posttest knowledge scores between sites.

Conclusions The hospital’s standardised child passenger safety education program was effectively disseminated to diverse populations through multiple community partnerships. This collaboration is an effective strategy to increase caregiver knowledge and self-efficacy of child passenger safety among culturally diverse populations.

Significance and contribution to the field While further research is needed to determine knowledge retention and behaviour change, this evaluation suggests hospital-community partnerships can be leveraged to improve culturally appropriate dissemination of health and safety education to diverse and underserved population.