Bicycle Helmet Wearing in a Sample of Urban Disadvantaged Primary School Children. (original) (raw)
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Injury Prevention, 1998
Objectives-To assess the level of cycle helmet wearing among young people in two counties in the South East of England in 1994, and to identify the factors associated with helmet wearing. Design-Cross sectional survey in a convenience sample. Setting-Secondary schools in East Sussex and Kent. Subjects-Students in year 7 (aged 10-12 years) and year 11 (aged 14-16 years). Main outcome measures-Self reported "always wears a helmet". Results-Among those who ride a bicycle, 32% of boys and 29% of girls aged 10-12 years, and 14% of boys and 10% of girls aged 14-16, reported that they always wear helmets. The variables that were most consistently associated with helmet wearing (that is significantly associated with helmet wearing in at least five of the six age, sex, and county subgroups) were: "parental encouragement to wear a helmet", "closest friend wears a helmet", "belief that laws that make children wear helmets are good", and "sometimes rides oV-road". Conclusions-The self reported rates of always wearing a cycle helmet in East Sussex and Kent are consistent with overseas findings for populations who had not been exposed to intensive helmet promotion. The evidence suggests that parental encouragement has a favourable eVect on rates of cycle helmet use among secondary schoolchildren, which is separate from and additional to peer influences. When designing a helmet promotion programme, therefore, it will have added impact if both parents and children are addressed.
Journal of Transportation Safety & Security, 2019
Head injury severity may be reduced by a helmet, however, helmets are not mandatory in the Netherlands. Yet public support for voluntary use of helmets for children is high. This study evaluated the effect of a five-year school-based campaign (4-to 8-year-olds) on helmet-wearing rates and identified its success and failure factors. We compared observed helmet-wearing rates before the campaign, with yearly rates during programme, and related those to wearing rates in a control area. Parents, together with their children, completed questionnaires on self-reported helmet wearing, attitudes, beliefs, and barriers. Results showed that observed helmet wearing increased in the first campaign year but varied in later years. This variation in rates coincided with variations in campaign intensity over the years. Factors associated with self-reported helmet wearing were age, with higher wearing rates for younger children than older children, and parental rules for helmet use. Children and parents are positive toward helmet use when children are perceived to be less competent cyclists. The most important reason for not wearing helmets is that peers do not wear helmets. Overall, parents and children seem to be influenced by the norm in the Netherlands that children above a certain age cycle without a helmet.
Neighbourhood Sociocultural Demographics and their Association with Helmet Use in Children
Background - Wheeled sport (bicycle, scooter, and in-line skate) head and facial injuries can be prevented through use of a properly worn helmet. Given the evidence for the effectiveness of bicycle helmets, it is important to examine factors related to their use among children. The objective of this study was to examine neighbourhood sociocultural demographics and their association with observed helmet use among school-aged children riding in defined urban communities. Methods - Children were observed at fifty-five pre-selected sites in twenty defined neighbourhoods in Toronto, Ontario between June and September of 2005. Trained volunteer observers recorded information on helmet use. Neighbourhood level data was adapted from Statistics Canada, and socio-economic and demographic variables for the year 2000-2001 were obtained for each of the twenty neighbourhoods included in the study. Logistic regression was preformed to examine the relationship between neighbourhood sociocultural demographics and helmet use. Results - Of the 306 riders, 174 children were observed riding without a helmet. Neighbourhood socio economic and demographic variables were significantly associated with observed helmet use. Helmet use was lowest among children observed riding in neighbourhoods with a high percent of families with an incidence of low income; a high percent of the population aged fifteen and over with less than high school education; high percent of the population with no knowledge of English or French; and low childhood immunization rates. Conclusion - Results from this study indicate that neighbourhood sociocultural demographics are significantly associated with observed helmet use among children. These results offer a unique opportunity to target specific neighbourhoods according to their sociocultural demographics for helmet-promotion programs and interventions.
Prevalence of Helmet Use among Child Pillion Riders on Route to School
Cross-sectional observation surveys of helmet use among 6- to 12-year-old child pillion riders were made at 17 different speed-restricted school safety zones. Results: A total of 712 riders and 915 pupils were captured in the videos representing 10% of the whole selected schools populations go/back to/from school by motorcycle. Helmet wearing rate among motorcycle riders is 66.8% while for pillion is 14.7%. The riders were 11.7 times as likely to wear helmet compared to pillion riders. Helmet use rates among male (75.46%) and female riders (52.45%) had statistically significant difference where male riders were 2.7 times more prone to wear helmet (χ2= 35.98, p<0.001). Helmet use rates of 16.3% and 13.2% were observed for male and female pillion riders, respectively, but the difference observed was not statistically significant (p=0.191). It was observed that 65.83% of female riders and 59% of male riders carrying more than one pillion passenger. It was found that 497 (70.8%) had one pillion rider, 183 (26.1%) had two pillion riders, and 20 (2.8%) carried more than three pillion riders on a motorcycle. In addition, 7% of the riders allowed their kids to be seated in front of them while riding. This behavior is hazardous as the front pillion has tendency to distract the rider or worst, to be pinned between motorcycle handle and the rider during the event of a crash. In addition, the front pillion passengers are always being the last to be equipped by safety helmets as more than 90% of them ride the motorcycle without wearing safety helmets. Conclusions: Helmet use by motorcyclists on the route to school is generally low. There is a need for public awareness campaigns on the safety benefits of helmets to increase its prevalence. Public awareness on helmet wearing must be accompanied by sustained enforcement of the road traffic police to ensure compliance and change in attitude.
The Journal of Pediatrics, 1994
Studies have demonstrated that bicycle-related head injuries are a serious threat to children and that bicycle helmets are a readily available, effective preventive measure. 14 In the absence of specific promotional campaigns, estimates of helmet use range from 0% to 13% by self-report 5-8 and 0% to 19% by observational studies. 9"12 A community-wide bicycle helmet campaign in Seattle, Wash., 9 documented an increase in helmet use from 5% before the campaign to 16% afterward (compared with an increase from 1% to 3% in a comparison community). A helmet use law in Howard County, Md. s, lO, 15 resulted in increases in observed helmet use from 4% before passage of the law to 47% afterward 1°
The promotion of bicycle helmet use in children and youth: an overview of reviews
Evidence-Based Child Health: A Cochrane Review Journal, 2011
Background: Bicycle-related head injuries are a common reason for paediatric emergency department visits. Helmets have been designed to reduce head injuries, and helmet use has been encouraged through mandatory helmet legislation and nonlegislation helmet promotion activities.