Education and training programs for the prevention of work injuries: do they work?

Education and training programs are popular approaches to deal with the prevention of occupational injuries and diseases. Although they are one of the less preferred injury control options, they can be effective in reducing risk and injury when used in combination with other control systems. An examination of the literature evaluating the effectiveness of injury prevention programs, particularly associated with back injury, is presented. Format, structure and content of programs is discussed and applied to a model addressing behaviour change (the Health Belief Model). This model is used to suggest ways of improving education and training programs to ensure the development and maintenance of behaviour change.