Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 hamadan university of medical sciences
2 Trauma Research Center, Shahid Rajaee (Emtiaz) Trauma Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Abstract
Objectives: Road traffic injuries caused by motorcycle crashes are a major public health burden, resulting in high mortality, functional disability, and considerable medical expenditure. Helmets are critical safety equipment for motorcyclists. This study aimed to identify factors influencing helmet usage behavior among motorcyclists.
Methods: A cross-sectional study of injured motorcyclists was conducted at Shahid Rajaee Hospital, Shiraz. Participants were enrolled in the study using the convenience sampling method. Data were collected through a structured medical form, and logistic regression with the "Backward" technique was applied to identify risk factors associated with helmet use.
Results: A total of 147 patients were examined, including 139 un-helmeted (94.55%) and 8 helmeted (5.45%) motorcyclists. The mean age of helmeted riders was 41.46 ± 17.44 years, while for un-helmeted riders, it was 29.21 ± 12.23 years. After balancing data, Key predictors of helmet use included riding before noon (OR=10.164, 95% CI [4.543, 22.738]), crashes in urban areas (OR=21.740, 95% CI [5.535, 85.383]), not having an injury in head and neck (OR=4.549, 95% CI [2.075, 9.970]), not having an injury in the face areas (OR=5.108, 95% CI [1.587, 8.694]).
Conclusion: These findings can be useful for policymakers to understand the actual conditions of helmet usage behavior and increase helmet usage rates. Additionally, they can inform policy-level decision-making on reducing traffic crashes. By addressing physical problems associated with helmets and improving community members' knowledge about the advantages of helmet use, it is possible to decrease trauma resulting from motorcycle injuries significantly.
Keywords: Helmet, Motorcycles, Accidents, Traffic, SMOTE
Keywords
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