The impact and sustainability of the prevention project 3! Winter Life Camp on young pupil’s knowledge on accident prevention and behaviour in winter alpine terrain

Abstract

Introduction & Purpose

Skiing, both on slopes and in backcountry terrain, is highly popular in Austria. However, this sport carries inherent risks of injuries considering numerous accidents occurring each year both on designated ski slopes and off-piste areas. During the 2021/22 winter season, the Austrian alpine police reported 4,613 ski-related injuries on slopes, including 27 fatalities, with Tyrol accounting for the highest percentage of these accidents at 41% (Österreichisches Kuratorium für Alpine Sicherheit [ÖKAS], 2022). Regarding off-piste skiing, Tyrol counted 163 individuals involved in avalanche accidents during that season, with 44% of individuals aged 11-30 years (ÖKAS, 2023). Research has shown that children and adolescents up to the age of 18 exhibit a lack of knowledge regarding safety regulations on ski slopes, such as those outlined by the International Ski Federation (FIS; Hildebrandt et al., 2016; Ruedl et al., 2018).

Due to the hardly predictable nature of avalanches, various strategies are implemented to assess and mitigate risks. It is crucial to be well-informed, choose defensive routes, and engage in regular self-critical reflection (Deutscher Alpenverein [DAV], 2022). In the event of an avalanche burial, carrying complete avalanche emergency equipment (transceiver, shovel, and probe) is essential for immediate aid (Semmel, 2007). Nichols et al. (2018) found that experienced backcountry skiers and snowboarders, as well as those who had completed an avalanche course, were more likely to carry avalanche emergency equipment with them than beginners. Additionally, McCammon (2003) reported that 34% of individuals involved in avalanche accidents in the US had neither received avalanche training nor attended a pertinent course, with this group having the lowest mean age of about 24 years.

In Tyrol, with a total of 9 districts, apart from the district of Lienz/East Tyrol, there is no regionwide youth prevention programme. The 3! Winter Life Camp project in Lienz district, initiated in 2006 by the Alpinkompetenzzentrum Osttirol, educates all 7^th-graders of the district on winter sports safety. This one-day project includes age-adapted theoretical knowledge transfer in the classroom as well as practical exercises both on- and off-piste, covering risk assessment, emergency procedures, and FIS rules, aiming to raise awareness of winter sport risks and encourage further education. Previous research suggests preventive information campaigns contribute to reducing injury risk in alpine skiing (Jørgensen et al., 1998). Therefore, this study aimed to determine the knowledge change among participants of the 3! Winter Life Camp (Hypothesis 1) and its sustainability over time (Hypothesis 2).

Methods

The study was designed as a non-randomized controlled intervention conducted in the winter-season 2023/24, involving 7^th-grade pupils from one Gymnasium and one middle school from Lienz/East Tyrol (IG) and Schwaz/North Tyrol (CG), the latter being comparable to Lienz in terms of size, population, and rural surroundings. A questionnaire assessing personal information (age, sex, skill level, etc.) as well as practical knowledge was developed. The questions on the knowledge of FIS rules were formulated according to literature (Hildebrandt et al., 2011; Ruedl et al., 2018). Questions related to expert knowledge on avalanches were reviewed by a professional mountain guide and the project leaders, to ensure only relevant questions to be included. The 7^th-graders filled out the questionnaire twice, before and about 8 weeks after the intervention. To evaluate project sustainability, 8^th-graders from the same schools in Lienz, who had participated in the project one year before, and Schwaz, completed the questionnaire once at the end of winter 2023/24 (Hypothesis 2).

For statistical analyses, individual questions were clustered into 5 thematic groups: avalanche knowledge (in total 7 points), avalanche warning signs (3 points), avalanche safety equipment (3 points), emergency contacts (3 points), and FIS rules (12 points). Differential variables were calculated by subtracting pre-test scores from post-test scores to assess the differences in safety knowledge between the IG and CG (Hypothesis 1). To assess sustainability, knowledge of the post-test of the 8^th-graders from Lienz was compared to the 8^th-graders from Schwaz (Hypothesis 2). Data are presented as means and standard deviation as well as absolute and relative frequencies. Due to the ordinal nature of the data, group comparisons were conducted using the Mann-Whitney U test. All p values were two tailed and statistical differences were considered significant at p < .05.

Results

Concerning the intervention study, 221 questionnaires were eligible for analysis (110 IG, 111 CG). A total of 94 questionnaires were excluded due to non-matching data (failure to participate in both sessions or incorrect recognition code) or incompleteness. 1.4% of IG and 13.1% of CG participants indicated they neither engage in skiing nor snowboarding. 35.7% of IG and 26.7% of CG participants reported riding also off-piste in unsecured terrain.

Post-intervention, IG and CG participants scored 4.09 ± 1.88 and 2.79 ± 1.82 points concerning avalanche knowledge, compared to 2.05 ± 2.00 and 2.13 ± 1.53 pre-intervention, respectively. Group difference according to the differential variable was highly significant (p < .001). Group changes in knowledge of avalanche warning signs were also highly significant between pre- and posttest (IG pre = 1.89 ± 0.68, post 2.32 ± 0.83, CG pre 1.96 ± 0.69, post 2 ± 0.67, p < .001). Pre-intervention, 1.8% of IG and 4.1% of CG were aware of the three components of complete avalanche safety equipment, increasing to 24.4% in the IG and 6.3% in the CG post-intervention, with a highly significant group difference (p < .001). The awareness of an emergency number or app for accidents in alpine terrain increased in IG from 19% to 31.7% (CG from 37.6% to 34.4%), with a highly significant group difference (p < .001). After the intervention, IG and CG participants answered an average of 8.3 ± 2.28 and 6.97 ± 2.99 out of 12 questions on FIS rules correctly, compared to 7.09 ± 2.37 and 6.05 ± 2.75 respectively pre-intervention, with no significant difference between groups (p = .36).

To assess the sustainability of the intervention, data from 220 8^th-graders of the two districts (111 IG, 109 CG) were analysed. High significant differences (p < .001) were observed in avalanche knowledge, with IG scoring higher than CG (3.49 ± 1.68 vs. 2.47 ± 1.66). IG also scored higher in knowledge on how to react in an on-piste accident (IG 1.84 ± 0.4, CG 1.31 ± 0.7 out of 2 points), and on FIS rules (IG 8.04 ± 2.11 vs. CG 6.34 ± 2.99), p < .001. Differences were also significant in knowledge on avalanche warning signs (IG 2.2 ± 0.73 vs. CG 1.86 ± 0.74, p = .001). Regarding knowledge on emergency numbers or apps for alpine accidents, CG scored significantly higher (1.26 ± 1) than IG (0.8 ± 0.8), p < .001.

Discussion

The results of the present study suggest that participation in the 3! Winter Life Camp leads to increased knowledge concerning various aspects of avalanche safety, prevention measures, and safety equipment among pupils. This aligns with literature showing the positive effects of preventive measures on injury risk in alpine skiing (Jørgensen et al., 1998). Furthermore, Nichols et al. (2018) reported that experienced skiers and snowboarders, as well as those who had participated in avalanche training before, are more likely to carry avalanche safety equipment with them than newcomers. The current study revealed that a significant proportion of pupils lacked knowledge regarding the components of a comprehensive avalanche safety equipment in the pre-test phase, with 96-98% exhibiting this deficiency. Post-intervention, knowledge on avalanche emergency equipment improved significantly. However, only 24.4% of IG participants could name all three components (transceiver, shovel, and probe). This shows that there should be even more focus on this topic during the course, especially when keeping in mind the findings of Gross et al. (2021), who show that young freeriders without knowledge on avalanche danger are at higher risk to be involved in an avalanche accident. In 7^th-graders, the intervention showed no significant change in pupils’ knowledge on FIS rules between IG and CG. This lack of impact may be attributed to the primarily theoretical approach used in the classroom instruction of FIS rules, without a specific practical approach. However, 8^th-graders from Lienz showed significant higher scores in the knowledge of FIS rules compared to the 8^th-graders from Schwaz, which does indicate a certain preventive effect of the intervention of the past year.

Concerning the project’s sustainability, it could be observed that one year after the training, 8^th-graders of the IG had significantly higher knowledge on avalanches, correct behaviour in case of on-piste accidents, as well as FIS rules (as mentioned above), compared to 8^th-graders of the CG. These results might suggest a lasting impact of the project after one year. Surprisingly, 8^th-graders of the IG showed lower knowledge on emergency numbers or apps than those of the CG. This may indicate that it is important to stay informed and to participate in further courses, in order to maintain and expand this knowledge.

Conclusion

Results of this study suggest that the region-wide one-day prevention project 3! Winter Life Camp enhances pupils’ knowledge concerning avalanche risk and safety, with some sustainable effects. In this respect, the project seems to have a positive impact as a prevention programme. It can therefore be considered a first step towards motivating young people to continue or regularly engage with the topic of safety in winter sports. However, in order to sustainably reduce the high number of winter sports accidents, especially in the federal state of Tyrol, the programme should be implemented state-wide to reach more young pupils.

Acknowledgement

This study was financially supported by the Austrian Kuratorium für Verkehrssicherheit (KfV) and by the faculty of psychology and sport science at the University of Innsbruck, Austria.

References

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