Effect of wearing a helmet on the occurrence of head injuries in motorcycle riders in Benin: a case-control study
Abstract Background In Benin, motorcycles are the main means of transport for road users and are involved in more than half of crashes. This study aims to determine the effect of wearing a helmet on reducing head injuries in road crashes in Benin. Methods This case-control study took place in 2020 a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Injury Epidemiology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40621-021-00311-3 |
| _version_ | 1818646750451204096 |
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| author | Bella Hounkpe Dos Santos Yolaine Glele Ahanhanzo Alphonse Kpozehouen Donatien Daddah Emmanuel Lagarde Yves Coppieters |
| author_facet | Bella Hounkpe Dos Santos Yolaine Glele Ahanhanzo Alphonse Kpozehouen Donatien Daddah Emmanuel Lagarde Yves Coppieters |
| author_sort | Bella Hounkpe Dos Santos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background In Benin, motorcycles are the main means of transport for road users and are involved in more than half of crashes. This study aims to determine the effect of wearing a helmet on reducing head injuries in road crashes in Benin. Methods This case-control study took place in 2020 and focused on road trauma victims. The sample, consisting of 242 cases (trauma victims with head injuries) for 484 controls (without head injuries), was drawn from a database of traffic crash victims recruited from five hospitals across the country from July 2019 to January 2020. Four groups of independent variables were studied: socio-demographic and economic variables, history, behavioural variables including helmet use and road-related and environmental variables. To assess the shape of the association between the independent variables and the dependent variable, a descending step-by-step binary logistic regression model was performed using an explanatory approach. Results Fewer of the subjects with a head injury were wearing a helmet at the time of the crash 69.8% (95% CI = 63.6–75.6) compared to those without a head injury 90.3% (95% CI = 87.3–92.8). Adjusting for the other variables, subjects not wearing helmets were at greater risk of head injuries (OR = 3.8, 95% CI (2.5–5.7)); the head injury rating was 1.9 (95% CI = 1.2–3.3) times higher in subjects who were fatigued during the crash than among those who were not and 2.0 (95% CI = 1.2–3.3) times higher in subjects with no medical history. Conclusion Failure to wear a helmet exposes motorcyclists to the risk of head injuries during crashes. It is important to increase awareness and better target such initiatives at the subjects most at risk. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T00:51:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b665df4f546c44659b37f3ff0e65a22a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2197-1714 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T00:51:36Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Injury Epidemiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-b665df4f546c44659b37f3ff0e65a22a2022-12-21T22:09:45ZengBMCInjury Epidemiology2197-17142021-05-018111110.1186/s40621-021-00311-3Effect of wearing a helmet on the occurrence of head injuries in motorcycle riders in Benin: a case-control studyBella Hounkpe Dos Santos0Yolaine Glele Ahanhanzo1Alphonse Kpozehouen2Donatien Daddah3Emmanuel Lagarde4Yves Coppieters5Ecole de Santé Publique, Université Libre de BruxellesInstitut Régional de Santé PubliqueInstitut Régional de Santé PubliqueEcole de Santé Publique, Université Libre de BruxellesUniversité de BordeauxEcole de Santé Publique, Université Libre de BruxellesAbstract Background In Benin, motorcycles are the main means of transport for road users and are involved in more than half of crashes. This study aims to determine the effect of wearing a helmet on reducing head injuries in road crashes in Benin. Methods This case-control study took place in 2020 and focused on road trauma victims. The sample, consisting of 242 cases (trauma victims with head injuries) for 484 controls (without head injuries), was drawn from a database of traffic crash victims recruited from five hospitals across the country from July 2019 to January 2020. Four groups of independent variables were studied: socio-demographic and economic variables, history, behavioural variables including helmet use and road-related and environmental variables. To assess the shape of the association between the independent variables and the dependent variable, a descending step-by-step binary logistic regression model was performed using an explanatory approach. Results Fewer of the subjects with a head injury were wearing a helmet at the time of the crash 69.8% (95% CI = 63.6–75.6) compared to those without a head injury 90.3% (95% CI = 87.3–92.8). Adjusting for the other variables, subjects not wearing helmets were at greater risk of head injuries (OR = 3.8, 95% CI (2.5–5.7)); the head injury rating was 1.9 (95% CI = 1.2–3.3) times higher in subjects who were fatigued during the crash than among those who were not and 2.0 (95% CI = 1.2–3.3) times higher in subjects with no medical history. Conclusion Failure to wear a helmet exposes motorcyclists to the risk of head injuries during crashes. It is important to increase awareness and better target such initiatives at the subjects most at risk.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40621-021-00311-3Head injuriesMotorcyclesHelmet useRoad crashBenin |
| spellingShingle | Bella Hounkpe Dos Santos Yolaine Glele Ahanhanzo Alphonse Kpozehouen Donatien Daddah Emmanuel Lagarde Yves Coppieters Effect of wearing a helmet on the occurrence of head injuries in motorcycle riders in Benin: a case-control study Injury Epidemiology Head injuries Motorcycles Helmet use Road crash Benin |
| title | Effect of wearing a helmet on the occurrence of head injuries in motorcycle riders in Benin: a case-control study |
| title_full | Effect of wearing a helmet on the occurrence of head injuries in motorcycle riders in Benin: a case-control study |
| title_fullStr | Effect of wearing a helmet on the occurrence of head injuries in motorcycle riders in Benin: a case-control study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of wearing a helmet on the occurrence of head injuries in motorcycle riders in Benin: a case-control study |
| title_short | Effect of wearing a helmet on the occurrence of head injuries in motorcycle riders in Benin: a case-control study |
| title_sort | effect of wearing a helmet on the occurrence of head injuries in motorcycle riders in benin a case control study |
| topic | Head injuries Motorcycles Helmet use Road crash Benin |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40621-021-00311-3 |
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