title: Implications of parental influence on child/adolescent helmet use in snow sports.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The main objective of this study was to assess the influencing factors in participants who do not use a helmet while skiing or snowboarding in the youth population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 ski seasons at the Crested Butte Mountain Resort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children and adolescents between the ages of 6 to 17 years and their parents were enrolled in the study. Two hundred six children/adolescents participated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Independent variables included age, gender, parental helmet use, ski/snowboard helmet past protection, and child/adolescent reason for wearing/not wearing helmet.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dependent variables included child/adolescent helmet use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-one percent were male and 49% were female. One hundred seventy-one (83%) reported that they wear a ski/snowboard helmet, and 35 (17%) reported that they did not wear a ski/snowboard helmet. There was a significant relationship between parental helmet use and child helmet use (P ≤ 0.0001). Of the 171 children/adolescents who reported wearing a helmet, 124 (72.5%) reported that wearing a helmet protected them in an accident. Of the 171 children/adolescents who reported wearing a helmet, 87.7% said that safety was the reason for wearing a helmet. The most common reason for not wearing a ski/snowboard helmet was comfort.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Parent's helmet-wearing behavior was strongly associated with the child/adolescent's helmet-wearing behavior. The results demonstrate the overwhelming influence parental helmet use has on their child/adolescent's decision to wear a helmet.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital Colorado and the University of Colorado-Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA. aaron.provance@childrenscolorado.org
authors.forename: Aaron J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Provance
authors.forename: Glenn H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Engelman
authors.forename: Patrick M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Carry
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000517:prevention & control; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006260:Head Protective Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D038161:Snow Sports / Q000293:injuries*