This paper reports a survey to estimate the ownership and use of bicycle helmets among children in the USA in 1994. A random digit dial telephone survey was conducted from 28 April to 18 September 1994. Interviews were completed for 5238 households, 56.1% of those approached. In these households, adult respondents reported data on bicycle helmet ownership and use among 1645 child cyclists. These data were weighted to provide USA-wide estimates. The resulting estimates are that 72.7% of American children aged 5-14 ride bicycles, 50.2% of them have a helmet, and 25.0% reported that they always wore their helmet when cycling. Multivariate modelling suggested that the strongest predictors of both helmet owning and helmet wearing were: (1) location in the North East or Western USA; (2) being of age 5-9; and (3) having higher educational achievement within the household. Those regions of the USA with the highest proportion of states having helmet use laws also had the highest proportion of helmet use among children. Child cyclists, who had been seen by a health care provider in the preceding 12 months, were much more likely to use a helmet if so advised by the provider. To meet the year 2000 objective of 50% of US cyclists wearing helmets, use of helmets by American children will need to double.
Samenvatting