Knowledge and Intentions of French Adults Regarding Abusive Head Trauma in Infants: An Online Survey

NCT07735780 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: APHP260554
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 3,200
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

Abusive head trauma (AHT) is a leading cause of infant mortality and long-term neurodevelopmental disability, yet existing prevention programmes have shown limited effectiveness in reducing its incidence. This may reflect insufficient understanding of upstream determinants of behaviour, including population-level knowledge of AHT. This cross-sectional online study aims to assess AHT-related knowledge, behavioural intentions, and their determinants in a sample representative of the French adult population aged 18-80 years. Participants will be recruited through a quota-based online panel and social media. Participants will complete a standardised procedure including exposure to short videos depicting either a shaking gesture (dangerous) or non-dangerous infant-handling behaviors (playing, rocking), followed by questionnaires assessing interpretation of the gesture, knowledge of its consequences, and AHT-related knowledge. After standardised information on AHT is provided, behavioral intentions and theoretical knowledge will be reassessed. This study will provide the first nationally representative data on AHT-related knowledge in France and inform the development of targeted, evidence-based prevention strategies.

Conditions

Abusive Head Trauma

Keywords

Abusive Head Trauma; Knowledge; Intentions; Skills

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Proportion of correct answers

  Proportion of participants providing correct answers to AHT-related knowledge questions (AHT-related knowledge). AHT-related knowledge will be assessed using a categorical variable classifying participants as "perfect," "intermediate" (with sub-levels), "incorrect," or "incoherent" responders, based on their answers to knowledge questions administered after viewing the assigned video (video 1, 2, or 3) and prior to disclosure of the definition of AHT. The response combinations used to construct this categorical variable will be determined by consensus among a panel of AHT experts.

  At baseline

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Proportion of risk gesture

  at baseline

• Determinants, among sociodemographic variables, of AHT-related knowledge in the French adult population

  at baselin

Study Arms (3)

Group 1

1200 participants (1000 recruited through an online panel, oversample of 200 male adults aged 18-40 years recruited through social media) first exposed to Video 1 (depicting a shaking gesture in motion design, potentially causing AHT).

Group 2

1000 participants (recruited through an online panel) first exposed to Video 2 (depicting a bouncing on knees gesture in motion design, not a dangerous playing situation).

Group 3

1000 participants (recruited through an online panel) first exposed to Video 3 (depicting a rocking gesture in motion design, not a dangerous situation).

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Participants will be recruited through a collaboration with IPSOS BVA, a survey research organization, using a pre-existing online panel designed to be representative of the French adult general population (based on quotas), as well as social media for supplementation in one subsample. Panel members have previously provided informed consent to participate in surveys on a broad range of topics, including health-related subjects. We will recruit 3000 adults aged 18-60 years, representative of the French population, as well as 200 male adults aged 18-40 to supplement the overall sample with a population more at risk of being potential perpatrators as reported in the scientific literature.

You may qualify if:

• Adults (any gender) between 18-80 years
• Living in France
• Fluent in French

You may not qualify if:

• Non-French speakers, as the questionnaire is only available in French
• Refusal to participate in the research

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris: lead
• IPSOS BVA: collaborator

Study Officials

• Enora Le ROUX, PhD

  Paris-Saclay West Clinical Research Unit, Sainte-Pérrine Hospital, APHP

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Martin CHALUMEAU, MD, PhD

  Department of General Pediatrics and Infectious Diseases, Necker Hospital, APHP

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Central Study Contacts

Enora Le ROUX, PhD

CONTACT

+ 33 1 40 03 23 66; enora.leroux@aphp.fr

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: CASE CROSSOVER
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 24, 2026
• First Posted: July 30, 2026
• Study Start (Estimated): September 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 31, 2026
• Last Updated: July 30, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-07