Watts D, O'Shea N, Flynn E, Trask A, Kelleher D
Inova Regional Trauma Center, Falls Church, Virginia, USA.
J Emerg Nurs. 1997 Oct;23(5):417-9. doi: 10.1016/s0099-1767(97)90134-3.
Each year in the United States, 300,000 children are treated in emergency departments for bicycle injuries; one third have head injuries. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of educational interventions and free helmet distribution in increasing the use of helmets by elementary school children.
Self-report questionnaires on the use of bicycle helmets were used for students at two elementary schools (n = 1610). Testing was done both before and after the administration of a bicycle safety program and the distribution of free helmets. Pretest and posttest answers were then compared for changes in helmet use.
Helmet usage increased significantly after the bicycle safety program, from 38% to 46% overall (p < 0.005). Children who were given free helmets were significantly more likely to wear their helmets (61.4%) than children who already owned helmets (43.4%) (p > 0.016). Children who attended the school in which free helmets were distributed showed a significant increase in helmet use (p < 0.01), whereas those at the school that had a safety program alone did not show a significant increase (p > 0.17).
The results of this study suggest that bicycle safety programs and free helmet distribution may increase the consistent use of helmets in elementary school children.
在美国，每年有30万名儿童因自行车事故在急诊科接受治疗；其中三分之一有头部受伤。本研究的目的是确定教育干预措施和免费发放头盔对提高小学生头盔使用率的有效性。
两所小学的学生（n = 1610）使用关于自行车头盔使用情况的自我报告问卷。在实施自行车安全计划和发放免费头盔之前和之后都进行了测试。然后比较测试前和测试后的答案，以了解头盔使用情况的变化。
自行车安全计划实施后，头盔使用率显著提高，总体从38%提高到46%（p < 0.005）。获得免费头盔的儿童戴头盔的可能性（61.4%）显著高于已拥有头盔的儿童（43.4%）（p > 0.016）。在发放免费头盔的学校上学的儿童头盔使用率显著提高（p < 0.01），而仅开展了安全计划的学校的儿童头盔使用率没有显著提高（p > 0.17）。
本研究结果表明，自行车安全计划和免费发放头盔可能会提高小学生持续使用头盔的比例。
