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Evidence based public health policy and practice
Bicycle helmet campaigns and head injuries among children. Does poverty matter?
  1. C Farley1,
  2. L Laflamme2,
  3. M Vaez2
  1. 1Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Canada
  2. 2Department of Public Health Sciences at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
  1. Correspondence to:
 Lucie Laflamme, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Social Medicine, SE-17176 Stockholm, Sweden; 
 Lucie.laflamme{at}smd.sll.se

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the impact of a community based bicycle helmet programme aimed at children aged 5–12 years (about 140 000) from poor and well off municipalities.

Methods: A quasi-experimental design, including a control group, was used. Changes in the risk of bicycle related head injuries leading to hospitalisation were measured, using rates ratios.

Results: Reductions in bicycle related head injuries were registered in both categories of municipalities. Compared with the pre-programme period, the protective effect of the programme during the post-programme period was as significant among children from poor municipalities (RR= 0.45 95%CI 0.26 to 0.78) as among those from richer municipalities (RR=0.55 95%CI 0.41 to 0.75).

Conclusion: Population based educational programmes may have a favourable impact on injury risks in poor areas despite lower adoption of protective behaviours.

  • safe behaviour
  • programme evaluation
  • bicycle helmet
  • deprivation
  • socioeconomic status

https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.57.9.668

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