Evaluating ICON

To evaluate the use of the ICON programme in its purpose to prevent instances of abusive head trauma (AHT) in infants 

Summary

What is the background to this research? The commonest severe injury in infants is brain trauma, caused by being struck or shaken. This is called abusive head trauma (AHT). Although infrequent, it is a devastating injury, with high rates of death or lifelong disability. AHT is most common around the age when babies cry the most, a period known to be stressful for carers. Whilst it is not always possible to reduce how much a baby cries, it is possible to help parents cope. Research suggests that AHT may be preventable with clear education and support messages for families about normal crying, especially if given on several occasions. Using this evidence, a programme called ICON was developed, and has been growing in use. It comprises four simple messages, given to families by healthcare professionals on five occasions in the baby s early life. What is the research question? Does AHT occur less often in areas offering the ICON programme than areas that do not, and what factors influence its impact? How will this research be done? To answer these questions, we will count the number of cases of AHT before and after the introduction of the ICON programme using a range of different health record systems. We will contact families and healthcare professionals to ask what they know about ICON, and their views on it, including how to make it available and understood by as many families as possible. By doing this we will find out what helps, or prevents, its rollout to new areas. How will this research make a difference? Using this research, we will make recommendations to policy makers and commissioners on whether ICON is beneficial for families, and if it is, recommend the best way to implement it. By engaging with a wide range of people, including healthcare professionals, policy makers, and the owners of the ICON programme, we will get the best effects. How are families, the public, and other stakeholders involved in this research? During early planning for this research, families shared their views on this research, and their stories as new parents. This helped us understand the details of how we can complete this evaluation. This included the "how and when" to contact and speak with parents of young babies, and they all supported using existing information to measure whether AHT was less common. During the first three months of this research, we will expand this engagement work with families and healthcare professionals, to create the best plan to engage with the broadest possible range of people and settings.

Further Information

https://www.fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR202469