You are seeing this message because your Web browser does not support basic Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing and what you can do to make your experience on this site better.


ABOUT ARCHIVES
Advanced Search

Welcome   | My Account | E-mail Alerts | Access Rights | Sign In


  Vol. 151 No. 1, January 1997 TABLE OF CONTENTS
  Archives
  •  Online Features
  ARTICLE
 This Article
 •Send to a friend
 • Save in My Folder
 •Save to citation manager
 •Permissions
 Citing Articles
 •Citation map
 •Citing articles on HighWire
 •Contact me when this article is cited
 Related Content
 •Similar articles in this journal

Effect of education and legislation on bicycle helmet use in a multiracial population

J. J. Abularrage, A. J. DeLuca and C. J. Abularrage
Department of Pediatrics, New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens, Flushing, USA.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of new legislation and a boroughwide bicycle helmet educational campaign on bicycle helmet use in a multiracial population. DESIGN: A prospective observational study. Observations were made at randomly selected sites in Queens (study group) and Brooklyn (control group), NY, in May 1994, before a New York State law affecting both boroughs was enacted and before a bicycle helmet educational campaign was conducted in Queens. Variables observed included age, sex, race, and whether the child was wearing a bicycle helmet while riding. A bicycle helmet campaign was conducted in late May 1994. New York State bicycle helmet law was effected on June 1, 1994, requiring all children aged 1 to 14 years to wear helmets while riding their bicycles. Follow-up observations were made at the same sites in July or August 1994. SETTING: Queens County, New York, which is the most racially diverse county in the United States, according to 1990 census data. PARTICIPANTS: Cross-sectional observations of children aged 1 to 14 years made at randomly selected sites. INTERVENTIONS: A boroughwide bicycle helmet educational campaign conducted in May 1994 in Queens. RESULTS: The overall use of helmets increased from 4.7% (13/276) to 13.9% (44/316) (P < .001) in the study group. Helmet use decreased from 5.6% (19/342) to 4.2% (13/312) (P = .10) in the control group during the same period. CONCLUSIONS: In a multiracial population, a statistically significant (P < .001) increase of helmet use was demonstrated after a campaign and distribution of educational material. Legislation alone is inadequate for ensuring increased bicycle helmet use.

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Using communication theory in injury prevention campaigns
Aldoory and Bonzo
Inj. Prev. 2005;11:260-263.
FULL TEXT  

Helmet laws and cycle use
Robinson et al.
Inj. Prev. 2003;9:380-381.
FULL TEXT  

Influence of Socioeconomic Status on the Effectiveness of Bicycle Helmet Legislation for Children: A Prospective Observational Study
Parkin et al.
Pediatrics 2003;112:e192-196.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Barriers to Bicycle Helmet Use
Finnoff et al.
Pediatrics 2001;108:e4-4.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Updating the evidence. A systematic review of what works in preventing childhood unintentional injuries: Part 1
Towner et al.
Inj. Prev. 2001;7:161-164.
FULL TEXT  

Cycling Injuries Treated in Emergency Departments: Need for Bicycle Helmets Among Preschoolers
Powell and Tanz
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2000;154:1096-1100.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Why Do Child Cyclists in the United States Remain Unhelmeted?
Bergman and Rivara
Pediatrics 1999;104:107a-108.
FULL TEXT  





HOME | CURRENT ISSUE | PAST ISSUES | TOPIC COLLECTIONS | SUBMIT | SUBSCRIBE | HELP
CONDITIONS OF USE | PRIVACY POLICY | CONTACT US | SITE MAP
 
© 1997 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.