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Risk-compensation behavior in children: myth or reality?
I Barry Pless1, Helen Magdalinos, Brent Hagel
1Departments of Pediatrics and Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec. barry.pless@mcgill.ca
Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
|June 7, 2006
Summary
This study found no evidence that children take more risks or experience more severe injuries when using protective equipment (PE). Risk homeostasis theory does not appear to apply to children aged 8-18 using PE.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric injury prevention research.
- Behavioral psychology and risk assessment.
Background:
- Risk homeostasis theory suggests individuals adjust their behavior to maintain a consistent level of risk.
- Protective equipment (PE) is intended to reduce injury risk, but its effectiveness may be influenced by behavioral changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the applicability of risk compensation and risk homeostasis theory in children.
- To determine if children using protective equipment exhibit different risk-taking behaviors or injury severity compared to non-users.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 394 children (aged 8-18) who sustained injuries.
- Comparison of self-reported risk-taking behaviors between protective equipment (PE) users and non-users.
- Analysis adjusted for age, sex, personality, and activity type.
Main Results:
- No association was found between risk-taking behaviors and PE use.
- No relationship was observed between injury severity and PE use.
- The study included 235 PE users and 159 non-users from a total of 674 injured children.
Conclusions:
- The findings do not support risk homeostasis theory in children using protective equipment.
- The validity of risk homeostasis theory is questionable for children within the studied age range (8-18 years).
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