Evaluation of a Subsidy Program to Increase Bicycle Helmet Use by Children of Low-Income Families

作者：Patricia C. Parkin, Xiaohan Hu, Laura J. Spence, Katherine E. Kranz, Linda Shortt, David E. Wesson · 发表于：PEDIATRICS · 年份：1995 · DOI：10.1542/peds.96.2.283 · 被引用次数：61 · 研究领域：Injury Epidemiology and Prevention、Traffic and Road Safety、Agriculture and Farm Safety

OBJECTIVE: We have previously shown that an educational program was not effective in increasing bicycle helmet use in children of low-income families. The objective of this study was to evaluate a combined educational and helmet subsidy program in the same population, while controlling for secular trends. The secondary objective was to complete a third year of surveying children's bicycle helmet use throughout the study community. DESIGN: A prospective, controlled, before-and-after study. SUBJECTS: Bicycling children 5 to 14 years of age from areas of low average family income. SETTING: A defined geographic community within a large urban Canadian city. INTERVENTION: In April 1992, students in three schools located in the area of lowest average family income were offered $10 helmets and an educational program; three other low-income areas served as control areas. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Helmet use was determined by direct observation of more than 1800 bicycling children. RESULTS: Nine hundred ten helmets were sold to a school population of 1415 (64%). Reported helmet ownership increased from 10% to 47%. However, observed helmet use in the low-income intervention area was no different from the rate in the three low-income control areas (18% versus 19%). There was no difference in the trend in helmet use during the period of 1990 through 1992 in the intervention area (4% to 18%) compared with the control areas (3% to 19%). Helmet use rates from all income areas have increased from...