Effectiveness of home fire safety interventions. A systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE: To assess the effectiveness of Home Fire Safety (HFS) interventions versus other interventions/no interventions/controls on HFS knowledge and behaviour at short-, intermediate- and long-term follow ups. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE and PubMed databases were searched from January 1998 to July 2018, and studies retrieved. PARTICIPANTS: Toddlers, children (primary or secondary school), teenagers or adults. INTERVENTIONS/COMPARISON: HFS interventions compared to other interventions / no interventions / controls. OUTCOMES: HFS knowledge and behaviour. RESULTS: 10 studies were identified (8 RCTs and 2 prospective cohort). Two studies assessed the effects of HFS interventions vs no interventions on HFS knowledge at up to 4 months follow up in school children and demonstrated significant difference between groups (very low quality, 2 RCTs, 535 participants, SMD 0.38, 95% CI: 0.21 to 0.55, p < 0.001). One study examined the effects of different modes of HFS interventions (computer-based vs instructor-led) on HFS knowledge and behaviour immediately post-intervention in adults and displayed no significant difference between groups (HFS knowledge; very low quality, 1 RCT, 68 participants, SMD -0.02, 95% CI: -0.50 to 0.45, p = 0.92) and (HFS behaviour; very low quality, 1 RCT, 68 participants, SMD 0.06, 95% CI: -0.41 to 0.54, p = 0.79) respectively. CONCLUSION: The limited evidence supports the use of HFS interventions to improve HFS knowledge and behaviour in children, families with children and adults.