Broken glass as an injury hazard in the Indigenous community of Cherbourg

Broken glass as an injury hazard in the Indigenous community of Cherbourg

The research to identify measures to prevent glass-sourced injury is one target of an injury prevention and safety promotion project in Cherbourg, a 1200 resident community 250 kilometres north-west of Brisbane.

Funded by Health Promotion Queensland and the Queensland Injury Prevention Council, the Cherbourg Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion Project (CIPSPP) was established in 2008. Five areas were identified for action, one of which was the environment, in which there was a specific interest in broken glass litter.

Exact data on glass-sourced injury were poor as records from the public hospital, the Aboriginal Medical Service clinic or school-based laceration clinic did not specify cause or location of injury. However the volume of anecdotal evidence backed by community concerns about glass as a cause of injury has resulted in focused activities to reduce litter and prevent injury.

The broken glass project has three principal objectives of determining the extent of the problem, devising workable strategies within the local context and assessing the outcome and impact following implementation of those strategies.

Determining the extent of the problem was supported by Photovoice, undertaken by the local school children, community survey and interview with community members, health service providers and other stakeholders. Photovoice, in which the school children captured over 100 photographs of potential injury hazards in the community, identified the principal area of interest, glass litter. Fifty three survey respondents and 20 interviewees revealed the perception of glass litter being an increasing problem which was exacerbated by a number of factors including lack of garbage collection and decline in social responsibility in particular by youth.

A number of strategies were designed and implemented that dovetail into the overall safety and injury prevention plan. A Council-driven alcohol management plan has contributed to reducing the amount of glass in the community. This has been supported by a community clean-up campaign and a resumption of a household garbage collection service. Rubbish bins have been purchased and located in high traffic areas.

Education is a key component of the strategy and a poster competition was initiated as part of the litter awareness and education campaign. Glass as the cause of injury to humans and animals, the unattractiveness of litter and the benefits of wearing shoes were the foci of the poster competition. The five winning posters were generated into an anti-litter message for the community.