In The Netherlands, there are 22.000 Emergency Department admittances to hospitals for 0-14 year old children as a consequence of bicycle accidents. Many of these are for head or brain injuries, especially amongst children of 4-8 years old. A bicycle helmet affords protection, but is not a well established safety product in The Netherlands. The literature does not present a clear view of the factors which influence parents to buy a helmet, nor of the factors which influence parents to supervise and guide the helmet wearing of their child(ren). Therefore, a study was conducted into the psychosocial determinants of helmet use amongst 4-8 year old children. On the basis of the diffusion theory of E.M. Rogers, research is done to determine the factors which explain the diffusion process of bicycle helmets amongst young children and their parents. Results indicate that a number of factors involved in the increase of helmet use in the past 5-6 years: parents' increased concern about the amount of traffic, offers by retail trader to sell bicycle and helmet in one sale, local campaigns at schools and increased visibility of helmet wearing by skaters, mountain bikers and recreational bikers, and better supply of lighter, stronger helmets with better ventilation and headshape adaptability. In 2001, 22% of the parents with young children has bought a bicycle helmet in the past five years and 63% of the children who possess a bicycle helmet did actually use it in the last few months. Results indicate that children at age 6-8 experience a strong drop in motivation to continue wearing the bicycle helmet. (Author/publisher)
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