169 Development of infant abuse prevention eLearning modules to educate and support parents and caregivers in Canada

<h3>Background</h3> Abusive head trauma/shaken baby syndrome (AHT/SBS) is a severe yet preventable injury affecting infants and young children resulting in lifelong disabilities or death. Prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome BC (PSBSBC) manages the delivery of a prevention education program to parents in British Columbia (B.C.) Canada. Qualitative focus groups with parents/caregivers from self-identified Indigenous and immigrant/refugee/multicultural (IRM) communities were conducted to provide guidance for the development of eLearning modules to increase accessibity to virtual information. Findings strengthened existing education, increased inclusivity and diversity of content and shaped eLearning course style and design. <h3>Objective</h3> Engage with underrepresented populations in semi-structred focus groups (FG) to explore perspectives on parenting techniques, coping strategies, reactions to infant crying, and perceptions of AHT/SBS not identified in research literature. <h3>Methods</h3> Recruitment included contacting over four hundred organizations who serve Indigenous and IRM populations across B.C. Informational posters were circulated and displayed in public settings, and in-person information sessions that occurred at targeted organizations. Three 90 minute FG (2 mother IRM and 1 father IRM) were conducted by a trained and experienced facilitator. A thematic analysis using a socio-cultural lens generated themes and relationships. Content analysis identified common language and phrases. <h3>Results</h3> Five themes were identified; navigating family and gender role expectations; enhancing parenting resources for diverse audiences; exploring influences of culture &amp; social environment on parenting practices; tensions in parenting a crying infant and, alternative parent resource beyond scope of eLearning. Findings augmented core educational and language components of existing AHT/SBS infant abuse prevention education to ensure eLearning modules are inclusive and reflective of the diversity of voices that make up B.C. Canadian parents and caregivers. <h3>Conclusion</h3> This research will enhance the development of infant abuse prevention eLearning modules reflective of diverse parenting voices in B.C., Canada. Patterns and meaning from FG will add to the knowledge about lived experiences from underrepresented communities and how sociocultural determinants of health including, race and socially constructed gender roles, shape perspectives on parenting techniques, coping strategies and, emotional and physical reactions to infant crying and infant abuse prevention.