J
John Doe
Guest
According to peer-reviewed, medical journal published doctors,
neurosurgeons, and research scientists from around the world, a
properly fitted bicycle helmet helps reduce serious head injury
among children.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed
"bicycle helmets" "head injuries" children
The first 20 summaries found, unedited.
Br Dent J. 2004 May 8;196(9):555-60; discussion 539.
Bicycle helmets--does the dental profession have a role in promoting
their use?
Chapman HR, Curran AL.
Paediatric Dentistry, 6 Woodlands Way, Southwater, Horsham, W Sussex
RH13 9HZ, UK. [email protected]
OBJECTIVES: To review the available literature regarding the:
epidemiology of bicycle related head injuries; consequences of head
injuries; rates of cycle helmet use; impact of educational campaigns
and legislation on usage rates; effectiveness of cycle helmets in
protecting against head and facial injuries; arguments against the
compulsory use of bicycle helmets. DATA SOURCES: A computerised
Medline search was conducted using the keywords: head injury, facial
injury, bicycle helmets, accidents. DATA SELECTION: All available
information was considered. DATA SYNTHESIS: Data was collated
manually. CONCLUSIONS: The wearing of bicycle helmets contributes
significantly to the prevention of head injuries (HI) and traumatic
brain injury (TBI), particularly in children and adolescents.There is
evidence to support the role of cycle helmets in the prevention of
injuries to the middle third of the face and some dental injuries.
There is a case for the implementation of legislation accompanied by
educational campaigns to increase significantly the use of cycle
helmets.The dental profession could: play an active role in promoting
cycle helmet use; support calls for the compulsory wearing of cycling
helmets, particularly for children; press for modification of helmet
design and standards to increase protection of the face.
Traffic Inj Prev. 2003 Dec;4(4):285-90.
Protective effect of different types of bicycle helmets.
Hansen KS, Engesaeter LB, Viste A.
Department of Surgery, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
[email protected]
The effectiveness of bicycle helmets in preventing head injuries is
well documented. There are different opinions about the effectiveness
of helmets in preventing face injuries, and few studies have analyzed
the effect of different types of helmets. This study was performed to
examine the effect of different helmet types to head and face
injuries. The use of helmets was analyzed in cyclists with head or
face injuries and compared with two control groups. The main control
group was cyclists that had injuries not including the head or neck,
and another control group was cyclists that had been involved in an
accident, regardless of whether they had sustained any injury. Cross-
table and logistic regression analyses were applied to analyze the
protective effect of helmets. A total of 991 injured patients served
as a basis for this study. Most of the accidents, (82%) were single
accidents with no other persons involved. Of patients with injuries
to the head, excluding face, 11.4% had been using hard shell helmets,
and 9.6% had been using foam helmets at the time of the accident.
Among the emergency room controls, the proportion of hard shell
helmet users and foam helmet users was 26.4% and 11.4%, respectively.
Compared to non-helmet users, this gave an odds ratio of 0.36 (CI =
0.21-0.60) for getting head injuries if the cyclists had been using
hard shell helmets at the time of the injury, and 0.83 (CI = 0.41-
1.67) for users of foam helmets. The odds ratio for getting face
injuries was 0.90 (CI = 0.58-1.41) among users of hard shell helmets,
and 1.87 (CI = 1.03-3.40) for users of foam helmets. The use of hard
shell helmets reduced the risk of getting injuries to the head.
Children less than nine years old that used foam helmets had an
increased risk of getting face injuries. All bicyclists should be
recommended to use hard shell bicycle helmets while cycling.
Inj Prev. 2003 Sep;9(3):266-7.
Trends in serious head injuries among English cyclists and
pedestrians.
Cook A, Sheikh A.
Department of Primary Health Care and General Practice, Imperial
College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, UK.
[email protected]
In England the use of bicycle helmets remains low as debate continues
about their effectiveness. Time trend studies have previously shown
an inverse association between helmet wearing rates and hospital
admissions for head injury, but data on helmet wearing are often
sparse and admission rates vary for numerous reasons. For the period
of this study comprehensive data on helmet wearing are available, and
pedestrians are used as a control to monitor trends in admission.
Among cyclists admitted to hospital, the percentage with head injury
reduced from 27.9% (n = 3070) to 20.4% (n = 2154), as helmet wearing
rose from 16.0% to 21.8%. Pedestrian head injury admissions also
declined but by a significantly smaller amount. The wearing of a
cycle helmet is estimated to prevent 60% of head injuries.
Am J Prev Med. 2003 May;24(4 Suppl):143-9.
Bicycle helmet effectiveness in preventing injury and death.
Novick LF, Wojtowycz M, Morrow CB, Sutphen SM.
SUNY-Upstate Medical University, Preventive Medicine Program,
Department of Medicine, Syracuse, New York 13210, USA.
[email protected]
This case--bicycle helmet effectiveness--is one of a series of
teaching cases in the Case-Based Series in Population-Oriented
Prevention (C-POP). It has been developed for use in medical school
and residency prevention curricula. The complete set of cases is
presented in this supplement to the American Journal of Preventive
Medicine. This case examines the cost-effectiveness of three
interventions to increase utilization of bicycle helmets to avert
head injuries in individuals aged 18 years and under in Onondaga
Count NY. Students are initially presented with data on head
injuries, hospitalization, and death related to bicycle use. They
then appraise a published study on the effectiveness of bicycle
helmets in averting head injury. Finally, students work in groups to
determine the cost-effectiveness of each intervention by calculating
implementation costs and the specific number of head injuries averted
associated with intervention. The three interventions are
legislative, school, and community-based campaigns to increase helmet
use. Students are provided with budget estimates and assumptions
needed to complete the exercise. Cost-effectiveness analysis, cost-
benefit analysis, and related concepts are discussed, including
provider versus societal perspectives and importance of sensitivity
analysis.
Orthop Nurs. 2003 Jan-Feb;22(1):9-15.
Bicycle injuries and safety helmets in children. Review of research.
Coffman S.
Nevada State University, Henderson, NV, USA.
Bicycle injuries are the most common cause of serious head injury in
children, and most of these injuries are preventable. The protective
effect of bicycle helmets is well documented, but many child
bicyclists do not wear them. This article summarizes the current
state of research on bicycle injuries and helmet use and examines the
effectiveness of legislation and injury-prevention strategies.
Current studies indicate that children who wear helmets experience
fewer head injuries and decreased severity of injury. Community-wide
helmet-promotion campaigns combined with legislation are most
successful in increasing helmet use and decreasing injury. Nurses can
participate both at the institutional level and in community advocacy
groups to promote bicycle safety for children.
Inj Prev. 2002 Dec;8(4):317-20.
New Zealand bicycle helmet law--do the costs outweigh the benefits?
Taylor M, Scuffham P.
Centre for the Analysis of Safety Prevention and Attitudes to Risk,
University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK. [email protected]
OBJECTIVES: This paper examines the cost effectiveness of the
compulsory bicycle helmet wearing law (HWL) introduced in New Zealand
on 1 January 1994. The societal perspective of costs is used for the
purchase of helmets and the value of injuries averted. This is
augmented with healthcare costs averted from reduced head injuries.
METHODS: Three age groups were examined: cyclists aged 5-12 years,
13-18 years, and >/=19 years. The number of head and non-head
injuries averted were obtained from epidemiological studies.
Estimates of the numbers of cyclists and the costs of helmets are
used to derive the total spending on new bicycle helmets. Healthcare
costs were obtained from national hospitalisation database, and the
value of injuries averted was obtained directly from a willingness-
to-pay survey undertaken by the Land Transport Safety Authority. Cost
effectiveness ratios, benefit:cost ratios, and the value of net
benefits were estimated. RESULTS: The net benefit (benefit:cost
ratios) of the HWL for the 5-12, 13-18, and >/=19 year age groups was
$0.3m (2.6), -$0.2m (0.8), and -$1.5m (0.7) (in NZ $, 2000 prices; NZ
$1.00 = US $0.47 = UK pound 0.31 approx). These results were most
sensitive to the cost and life of helmets, helmet wearing rates
before the HWL, and the effectiveness of helmets in preventing head
injuries. CONCLUSIONS: The HWL was cost saving in the youngest age
group but large costs from the law were imposed on adult (>/=19
years) cyclists.
Ugeskr Laeger. 2002 Oct 28;164(44):5115-9.
[The importance of the use of bicycle helmets for head injuries among
injured bicyclists aged 0-15 years]
[Article in Danish]
Larsen LB.
Odense Universitetshospital, UlykkesAnalyseGruppen.
INTRODUCTION: We wanted to examine the preventative effect of bicycle
helmets on head injuries in youngsters aged 0-15 years treated after
road traffic accidents (RTAs). The data were based on hospital
records. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a case-control study of
all youngsters aged 0-15 years, who were treated at Odense University
Hospital after RTAs on bicycles during the period 1993 to 1999.
Bicyclists with injuries localised to the head or brain comprised the
case group. The controls were all bicyclists with injuries to other
body regions. RESULTS: Altogether 3285 persons were entered. Of
these, 409 had injuries to the head or brain and 2876 had injuries to
other body regions. Regression analysis showed that the use of
helmets decreased the risk of head injury by a factor of 0.4 and the
risk of concussion by a factor of 0.6. Only nine bicyclists with more
severe brain injury were included in the study. Registered motor
vehicles as the counterpart increased the risk of head injury in a
given accident and no effect of the helmets could be shown in such
accidents. DISCUSSION: Helmets offer bicyclists aged 0-15 years
protection against head injury. The effect could not be shown in
accidents involving a motor vehicle as the counterpart.
Pediatr Nurs. 2000 Mar-Apr;26(2):159-62.
Reducing one source of pediatric head injuries.
Hendrickson SG, Becker H.
School of Nursing, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
Evaluation of a school-based, bicycle helmet program was conducted
using the PRECEDE model. The intervention targeted schools with low
income, high minority, and nonurban fourth grade children. A repeated
measures design was used with schools randomly assigned to each
treatment: classroom, parent-classroom, or control. Reported helmet
use was approximately 18% prior to the program. Following the
intervention, between 34% and 98% of intervention students reported
helmet use, with the best results reported in schools with parental
contact. This educational intervention coupled with the provision of
bicycle helmets increased reported helmet use, especially when
parental contact was added.
CMAJ. 2002 Mar 5;166(5):592-5.
Effect of legislation on the use of bicycle helmets.
Leblanc JC, Beattie TL, Culligan C.
Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS.
BACKGROUND: About 50 Canadian children and adolescents die each year
from bicycle-related injuries, and 75% of all bicycle-related deaths
are due to head injuries. Although the use of helmets can reduce the
risk of head injury by 85%, the rate of voluntary helmet use
continues to be low in many North American jurisdictions. We measured
compliance before, during and after 1997, when legislation making the
use of helmets mandatory for cyclists was enacted in Nova Scotia.
METHODS: In the summers and autumns of 1995 through 1999, trained
observers who had a direct view of oncoming bicycle traffic recorded
helmet use, sex and age group of cyclists in Halifax on arterial,
residential and recreational roads. Sampling was done during peak
traffic times of sunny days. We abstracted data from the Canadian
Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program database on
bicycle-related injuries treated during the same period at the
Emergency Department of the IWK Health Centre, Halifax. RESULTS: The
rate of helmet use rose dramatically after legislation was enacted,
from 36% in 1995 and 38% in 1996, to 75% in 1997, 86% in 1998 and 84%
in 1999. The proportion of injured cyclists with head injuries in
1998/99 was half that in 1995/96 (7/443 [1.6%] v. 15/416 [3.6%]) (p =
0.06). Police carried out regular education and enforcement. There
were no helmet-promoting mass media education campaigns after 1997.
INTERPRETATION: Rates of helmet use rose rapidly following the
introduction of legislation mandating the use of helmets while
neurosurgeons, and research scientists from around the world, a
properly fitted bicycle helmet helps reduce serious head injury
among children.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed
"bicycle helmets" "head injuries" children
The first 20 summaries found, unedited.
Br Dent J. 2004 May 8;196(9):555-60; discussion 539.
Bicycle helmets--does the dental profession have a role in promoting
their use?
Chapman HR, Curran AL.
Paediatric Dentistry, 6 Woodlands Way, Southwater, Horsham, W Sussex
RH13 9HZ, UK. [email protected]
OBJECTIVES: To review the available literature regarding the:
epidemiology of bicycle related head injuries; consequences of head
injuries; rates of cycle helmet use; impact of educational campaigns
and legislation on usage rates; effectiveness of cycle helmets in
protecting against head and facial injuries; arguments against the
compulsory use of bicycle helmets. DATA SOURCES: A computerised
Medline search was conducted using the keywords: head injury, facial
injury, bicycle helmets, accidents. DATA SELECTION: All available
information was considered. DATA SYNTHESIS: Data was collated
manually. CONCLUSIONS: The wearing of bicycle helmets contributes
significantly to the prevention of head injuries (HI) and traumatic
brain injury (TBI), particularly in children and adolescents.There is
evidence to support the role of cycle helmets in the prevention of
injuries to the middle third of the face and some dental injuries.
There is a case for the implementation of legislation accompanied by
educational campaigns to increase significantly the use of cycle
helmets.The dental profession could: play an active role in promoting
cycle helmet use; support calls for the compulsory wearing of cycling
helmets, particularly for children; press for modification of helmet
design and standards to increase protection of the face.
Traffic Inj Prev. 2003 Dec;4(4):285-90.
Protective effect of different types of bicycle helmets.
Hansen KS, Engesaeter LB, Viste A.
Department of Surgery, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
[email protected]
The effectiveness of bicycle helmets in preventing head injuries is
well documented. There are different opinions about the effectiveness
of helmets in preventing face injuries, and few studies have analyzed
the effect of different types of helmets. This study was performed to
examine the effect of different helmet types to head and face
injuries. The use of helmets was analyzed in cyclists with head or
face injuries and compared with two control groups. The main control
group was cyclists that had injuries not including the head or neck,
and another control group was cyclists that had been involved in an
accident, regardless of whether they had sustained any injury. Cross-
table and logistic regression analyses were applied to analyze the
protective effect of helmets. A total of 991 injured patients served
as a basis for this study. Most of the accidents, (82%) were single
accidents with no other persons involved. Of patients with injuries
to the head, excluding face, 11.4% had been using hard shell helmets,
and 9.6% had been using foam helmets at the time of the accident.
Among the emergency room controls, the proportion of hard shell
helmet users and foam helmet users was 26.4% and 11.4%, respectively.
Compared to non-helmet users, this gave an odds ratio of 0.36 (CI =
0.21-0.60) for getting head injuries if the cyclists had been using
hard shell helmets at the time of the injury, and 0.83 (CI = 0.41-
1.67) for users of foam helmets. The odds ratio for getting face
injuries was 0.90 (CI = 0.58-1.41) among users of hard shell helmets,
and 1.87 (CI = 1.03-3.40) for users of foam helmets. The use of hard
shell helmets reduced the risk of getting injuries to the head.
Children less than nine years old that used foam helmets had an
increased risk of getting face injuries. All bicyclists should be
recommended to use hard shell bicycle helmets while cycling.
Inj Prev. 2003 Sep;9(3):266-7.
Trends in serious head injuries among English cyclists and
pedestrians.
Cook A, Sheikh A.
Department of Primary Health Care and General Practice, Imperial
College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, UK.
[email protected]
In England the use of bicycle helmets remains low as debate continues
about their effectiveness. Time trend studies have previously shown
an inverse association between helmet wearing rates and hospital
admissions for head injury, but data on helmet wearing are often
sparse and admission rates vary for numerous reasons. For the period
of this study comprehensive data on helmet wearing are available, and
pedestrians are used as a control to monitor trends in admission.
Among cyclists admitted to hospital, the percentage with head injury
reduced from 27.9% (n = 3070) to 20.4% (n = 2154), as helmet wearing
rose from 16.0% to 21.8%. Pedestrian head injury admissions also
declined but by a significantly smaller amount. The wearing of a
cycle helmet is estimated to prevent 60% of head injuries.
Am J Prev Med. 2003 May;24(4 Suppl):143-9.
Bicycle helmet effectiveness in preventing injury and death.
Novick LF, Wojtowycz M, Morrow CB, Sutphen SM.
SUNY-Upstate Medical University, Preventive Medicine Program,
Department of Medicine, Syracuse, New York 13210, USA.
[email protected]
This case--bicycle helmet effectiveness--is one of a series of
teaching cases in the Case-Based Series in Population-Oriented
Prevention (C-POP). It has been developed for use in medical school
and residency prevention curricula. The complete set of cases is
presented in this supplement to the American Journal of Preventive
Medicine. This case examines the cost-effectiveness of three
interventions to increase utilization of bicycle helmets to avert
head injuries in individuals aged 18 years and under in Onondaga
Count NY. Students are initially presented with data on head
injuries, hospitalization, and death related to bicycle use. They
then appraise a published study on the effectiveness of bicycle
helmets in averting head injury. Finally, students work in groups to
determine the cost-effectiveness of each intervention by calculating
implementation costs and the specific number of head injuries averted
associated with intervention. The three interventions are
legislative, school, and community-based campaigns to increase helmet
use. Students are provided with budget estimates and assumptions
needed to complete the exercise. Cost-effectiveness analysis, cost-
benefit analysis, and related concepts are discussed, including
provider versus societal perspectives and importance of sensitivity
analysis.
Orthop Nurs. 2003 Jan-Feb;22(1):9-15.
Bicycle injuries and safety helmets in children. Review of research.
Coffman S.
Nevada State University, Henderson, NV, USA.
Bicycle injuries are the most common cause of serious head injury in
children, and most of these injuries are preventable. The protective
effect of bicycle helmets is well documented, but many child
bicyclists do not wear them. This article summarizes the current
state of research on bicycle injuries and helmet use and examines the
effectiveness of legislation and injury-prevention strategies.
Current studies indicate that children who wear helmets experience
fewer head injuries and decreased severity of injury. Community-wide
helmet-promotion campaigns combined with legislation are most
successful in increasing helmet use and decreasing injury. Nurses can
participate both at the institutional level and in community advocacy
groups to promote bicycle safety for children.
Inj Prev. 2002 Dec;8(4):317-20.
New Zealand bicycle helmet law--do the costs outweigh the benefits?
Taylor M, Scuffham P.
Centre for the Analysis of Safety Prevention and Attitudes to Risk,
University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK. [email protected]
OBJECTIVES: This paper examines the cost effectiveness of the
compulsory bicycle helmet wearing law (HWL) introduced in New Zealand
on 1 January 1994. The societal perspective of costs is used for the
purchase of helmets and the value of injuries averted. This is
augmented with healthcare costs averted from reduced head injuries.
METHODS: Three age groups were examined: cyclists aged 5-12 years,
13-18 years, and >/=19 years. The number of head and non-head
injuries averted were obtained from epidemiological studies.
Estimates of the numbers of cyclists and the costs of helmets are
used to derive the total spending on new bicycle helmets. Healthcare
costs were obtained from national hospitalisation database, and the
value of injuries averted was obtained directly from a willingness-
to-pay survey undertaken by the Land Transport Safety Authority. Cost
effectiveness ratios, benefit:cost ratios, and the value of net
benefits were estimated. RESULTS: The net benefit (benefit:cost
ratios) of the HWL for the 5-12, 13-18, and >/=19 year age groups was
$0.3m (2.6), -$0.2m (0.8), and -$1.5m (0.7) (in NZ $, 2000 prices; NZ
$1.00 = US $0.47 = UK pound 0.31 approx). These results were most
sensitive to the cost and life of helmets, helmet wearing rates
before the HWL, and the effectiveness of helmets in preventing head
injuries. CONCLUSIONS: The HWL was cost saving in the youngest age
group but large costs from the law were imposed on adult (>/=19
years) cyclists.
Ugeskr Laeger. 2002 Oct 28;164(44):5115-9.
[The importance of the use of bicycle helmets for head injuries among
injured bicyclists aged 0-15 years]
[Article in Danish]
Larsen LB.
Odense Universitetshospital, UlykkesAnalyseGruppen.
INTRODUCTION: We wanted to examine the preventative effect of bicycle
helmets on head injuries in youngsters aged 0-15 years treated after
road traffic accidents (RTAs). The data were based on hospital
records. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a case-control study of
all youngsters aged 0-15 years, who were treated at Odense University
Hospital after RTAs on bicycles during the period 1993 to 1999.
Bicyclists with injuries localised to the head or brain comprised the
case group. The controls were all bicyclists with injuries to other
body regions. RESULTS: Altogether 3285 persons were entered. Of
these, 409 had injuries to the head or brain and 2876 had injuries to
other body regions. Regression analysis showed that the use of
helmets decreased the risk of head injury by a factor of 0.4 and the
risk of concussion by a factor of 0.6. Only nine bicyclists with more
severe brain injury were included in the study. Registered motor
vehicles as the counterpart increased the risk of head injury in a
given accident and no effect of the helmets could be shown in such
accidents. DISCUSSION: Helmets offer bicyclists aged 0-15 years
protection against head injury. The effect could not be shown in
accidents involving a motor vehicle as the counterpart.
Pediatr Nurs. 2000 Mar-Apr;26(2):159-62.
Reducing one source of pediatric head injuries.
Hendrickson SG, Becker H.
School of Nursing, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
Evaluation of a school-based, bicycle helmet program was conducted
using the PRECEDE model. The intervention targeted schools with low
income, high minority, and nonurban fourth grade children. A repeated
measures design was used with schools randomly assigned to each
treatment: classroom, parent-classroom, or control. Reported helmet
use was approximately 18% prior to the program. Following the
intervention, between 34% and 98% of intervention students reported
helmet use, with the best results reported in schools with parental
contact. This educational intervention coupled with the provision of
bicycle helmets increased reported helmet use, especially when
parental contact was added.
CMAJ. 2002 Mar 5;166(5):592-5.
Effect of legislation on the use of bicycle helmets.
Leblanc JC, Beattie TL, Culligan C.
Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS.
BACKGROUND: About 50 Canadian children and adolescents die each year
from bicycle-related injuries, and 75% of all bicycle-related deaths
are due to head injuries. Although the use of helmets can reduce the
risk of head injury by 85%, the rate of voluntary helmet use
continues to be low in many North American jurisdictions. We measured
compliance before, during and after 1997, when legislation making the
use of helmets mandatory for cyclists was enacted in Nova Scotia.
METHODS: In the summers and autumns of 1995 through 1999, trained
observers who had a direct view of oncoming bicycle traffic recorded
helmet use, sex and age group of cyclists in Halifax on arterial,
residential and recreational roads. Sampling was done during peak
traffic times of sunny days. We abstracted data from the Canadian
Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program database on
bicycle-related injuries treated during the same period at the
Emergency Department of the IWK Health Centre, Halifax. RESULTS: The
rate of helmet use rose dramatically after legislation was enacted,
from 36% in 1995 and 38% in 1996, to 75% in 1997, 86% in 1998 and 84%
in 1999. The proportion of injured cyclists with head injuries in
1998/99 was half that in 1995/96 (7/443 [1.6%] v. 15/416 [3.6%]) (p =
0.06). Police carried out regular education and enforcement. There
were no helmet-promoting mass media education campaigns after 1997.
INTERPRETATION: Rates of helmet use rose rapidly following the
introduction of legislation mandating the use of helmets while
