Helmets and traffic injury outcomes: Findings from a setting lacking legislation on proper wearing and quality assessment
Objective: We assessed the effectiveness of helmet wearing for improving traffic injury outcomes in a setting lacking legislations on proper wearing and quality assessment of helmets. Methods: The study included motorcycle riders from Karachi, Pakistan, who were involved in a road traffic crash betw...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2018-01-01
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| Series: | Cogent Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/2331205X.2018.1434031 |
| _version_ | 1828195491359227904 |
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| author | Junaid A. Bhatti Junaid A. Razzak Uzma R. Khan Rashid Jooma |
| author_facet | Junaid A. Bhatti Junaid A. Razzak Uzma R. Khan Rashid Jooma |
| author_sort | Junaid A. Bhatti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: We assessed the effectiveness of helmet wearing for improving traffic injury outcomes in a setting lacking legislations on proper wearing and quality assessment of helmets. Methods: The study included motorcycle riders from Karachi, Pakistan, who were involved in a road traffic crash between 1 January 2007 and 30 September 2013. We estimated likelihoods of death and severe injury in riders wearing helmets compared to those not wearing them. Results: Only 6% (n = 6,092) of the 109 210 riders wore helmets. Helmet wearing was about 1% in pillion riders, women, and children. About 2% of riders died (n = 1,949) and 15% (n = 16,051) were hospitalized. About a third of riders (n = 37,439, 34%) suffered from head injuries, 30% (n = 33,130) had facial injuries, 46% (n = 50,264) had extremity injuries, and 61% (n = 67,094) had external body injuries. Those wearing helmets were less likely to die (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.28–0.50) or sustain a severe head injury (aOR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.55–0.89) than others. The preventive effects however disappeared in high-impact collisions, e.g. heavy vehicles, head-on. Conclusion: Helmets effectively reduced the likelihood of deaths and serious head injuries in the injured motorcyclists in Pakistan. Improving legislation and enforcement could help further prevent deaths and serious head injuries in Pakistan and similar settings. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T09:43:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b10692b7c55f4e0d94ea411c023c3da2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2331-205X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T09:43:26Z |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cogent Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-b10692b7c55f4e0d94ea411c023c3da22022-12-22T03:38:00ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Medicine2331-205X2018-01-015110.1080/2331205X.2018.14340311434031Helmets and traffic injury outcomes: Findings from a setting lacking legislation on proper wearing and quality assessmentJunaid A. Bhatti0Junaid A. Razzak1Uzma R. Khan2Rashid Jooma3Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research InstituteJohn Hopkins UniversityAga Khan UniversityAga Khan UniversityObjective: We assessed the effectiveness of helmet wearing for improving traffic injury outcomes in a setting lacking legislations on proper wearing and quality assessment of helmets. Methods: The study included motorcycle riders from Karachi, Pakistan, who were involved in a road traffic crash between 1 January 2007 and 30 September 2013. We estimated likelihoods of death and severe injury in riders wearing helmets compared to those not wearing them. Results: Only 6% (n = 6,092) of the 109 210 riders wore helmets. Helmet wearing was about 1% in pillion riders, women, and children. About 2% of riders died (n = 1,949) and 15% (n = 16,051) were hospitalized. About a third of riders (n = 37,439, 34%) suffered from head injuries, 30% (n = 33,130) had facial injuries, 46% (n = 50,264) had extremity injuries, and 61% (n = 67,094) had external body injuries. Those wearing helmets were less likely to die (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.28–0.50) or sustain a severe head injury (aOR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.55–0.89) than others. The preventive effects however disappeared in high-impact collisions, e.g. heavy vehicles, head-on. Conclusion: Helmets effectively reduced the likelihood of deaths and serious head injuries in the injured motorcyclists in Pakistan. Improving legislation and enforcement could help further prevent deaths and serious head injuries in Pakistan and similar settings.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/2331205X.2018.1434031developing countrymotorcycletraffic accident |
| spellingShingle | Junaid A. Bhatti Junaid A. Razzak Uzma R. Khan Rashid Jooma Helmets and traffic injury outcomes: Findings from a setting lacking legislation on proper wearing and quality assessment Cogent Medicine developing country motorcycle traffic accident |
| title | Helmets and traffic injury outcomes: Findings from a setting lacking legislation on proper wearing and quality assessment |
| title_full | Helmets and traffic injury outcomes: Findings from a setting lacking legislation on proper wearing and quality assessment |
| title_fullStr | Helmets and traffic injury outcomes: Findings from a setting lacking legislation on proper wearing and quality assessment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Helmets and traffic injury outcomes: Findings from a setting lacking legislation on proper wearing and quality assessment |
| title_short | Helmets and traffic injury outcomes: Findings from a setting lacking legislation on proper wearing and quality assessment |
| title_sort | helmets and traffic injury outcomes findings from a setting lacking legislation on proper wearing and quality assessment |
| topic | developing country motorcycle traffic accident |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/2331205X.2018.1434031 |
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