Design: The current study utilized a survey design.

Population, Sample, Setting, Years: The population consisted of children between the ages of 7 and 14 years. The sample consisted of 294 children attending three Westchester County schools in 2003, in the 2nd through 7th grades.

Outcome Variables: The variables examined in this study were bicycle helmet use and children’s perceptions of helmet use, including predisposing, reinforcing, and enabling factors.

Method: Children from three schools were recruited to complete a questionnaire regarding their perceptions and use of bicycle helmets prior to participating in a bicycle helmet education program.

Findings: Results revealed that 95% of the children owned a bicycle and 80% owned a helmet. Forty-three percent of the children reported wearing their helmet every time they rode their bicycle, while 22% reported wearing a helmet some of the time, and 35% reported not wearing a helmet at all.

Helmet use was also significantly related to age, with use decreasing as age increased. Reinforcing factors, such as parents telling their children to wear helmets, and enabling factors, such as knowing what can happen without a helmet, significantly predicted helmet use.

Conclusion: Helmet use in this sample of Westchester County residents is low. Perceptions that children hold can predict whether or not they will wear helmets while participating in wheeled sports.

Implications: Because bicycle helmet use is essential in protecting children from injuries while riding bicycles and not all children in the area use helmets on a regular basis, we must target these children in order to educate them on the importance of using helmets all of the time.

Back to Posters II
Back to 15th International Nursing Research Congress
Sigma Theta Tau International
July 22-24, 2004