The Seattle children's bicycle helmet campaign: changes in helmet use and head injury admissions.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the impact of a community bicycle helmet campaign on helmet use and the incidence of bicycle-related head injuries.


METHODS
Metropolitan community and a large health maintenance organization.


METHODS
Communitywide bicycle helmet campaign.


RESULTS
Rate of observed bicycle helmet use in the community and incidence of bicycle-related injuries in an health maintenance organization population.


RESULTS
Helmet use among school-aged children increased from 5.5% in 1987 to 40.2% in 1992. Bicycle-related head injuries decreased by 66.6% in 5- to 9-year-old and 67.6% in 10- to 14-year-old members of an health maintenance organization.


CONCLUSIONS
Educational campaigns can increase helmet use and decrease the incidence of bicycle-related head injury.
Rivara
F P
FP
Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, Seattle, WA 98104.
Thompson
D C
DC
Thompson
R S
RS
Rogers
L W
LW
Alexander
B
B
Felix
D
D
Bergman
A B
AB
D000293:Adolescent; D001642:Bicycling / Q000293:injuries*; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006260:Head Protective Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006266:Health Education; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010343:Patient Admission; D014861:Washington / Q000453:epidemiology