Reducing one source of pediatric head injuries.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatric Safety
• Health Education

Background:

• Bicycle-related injuries are a significant concern for children.
• Low bicycle helmet use rates, particularly in underserved communities, necessitate effective interventions.
• The PRECEDE model provides a framework for designing and evaluating health promotion programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based bicycle helmet program targeting low-income, minority, and nonurban fourth-grade children.
• To compare the impact of different intervention strategies (classroom-only vs. parent-classroom involvement) on helmet usage.
• To assess changes in reported bicycle helmet use following the educational intervention and helmet provision.

Main Methods:

• A repeated measures design was employed with random assignment of schools to three treatment groups: classroom intervention, parent-classroom intervention, and control.
• The PRECEDE model guided the program's development and evaluation.
• Reported bicycle helmet use was measured before and after the intervention.

Main Results:

• Pre-intervention reported helmet use was approximately 18%.
• Post-intervention, reported helmet use among intervention groups ranged from 34% to 98%.
• The parent-classroom intervention group demonstrated the highest reported helmet usage rates.

Conclusions:

• A school-based educational intervention, including the provision of bicycle helmets, effectively increased reported helmet use among fourth-grade students.
• Parental involvement significantly enhanced the program's effectiveness in promoting bicycle helmet adoption.
• Targeted interventions in schools serving low-income, high-minority, and nonurban populations can improve child safety outcomes.