Barriers to bicycle helmet use among children. Results of focus groups with fourth, fifth, and sixth graders

J. Howland, J. Sargent, M. Weitzman, T. Mangione, R. Ebert, M. Mauceri and M. Bond
School of Public Health, Boston University School of Medicine, MA 02118.

As a preliminary step in the development of a school-based educational intervention to promote bicycle helmet use among children, focus group encounters were conducted with fourth, fifth, and sixth graders at three elementary schools in the Boston, Mass, area. Analysis of transcripts of encounter tape recordings indicated that (1) the prevalence of helmet ownership and use was low, (2) children were concerned that helmet use would invite derision from their peers, and (3) children tended to respect other children who wore helmets. We concluded that focus groups can be useful in conceptualizing health education interventions and suggest that school-based peer-led bicycle helmet programs may be effective in developing normative change toward helmet use among elementary schoolchildren.

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