title: Bicycle helmet wearing in a sample of urban disadvantaged primary school children.
abstract: Bicycle helmet wearing is currently not legally enforced in Ireland and little is known about the self-reported practice amongst young children. The principal aim of this study was to assess self-reported helmet wearing amongst a sample (n = 314) of primary school children (aged 8-13 years) attending disadvantaged schools in Dublin. Approximately 86% of the sample owned a bike and provided a response to the question on helmet use. The findings indicate that helmet wearing is not a widespread practice (50.4%; 136/270 report never wearing helmets). As children get older, reported practice is also less likely with 67% (27/40) of 12/13 year-olds compared to 38% (31/81) of 8/9 year-olds reporting never wearing protective headgear. Regardless of age, more girls (61%; 82/135) than boys (39%; 52/135) indicated always/sometimes using helmets when cycling. Conversely, the findings show that (mandatory) seatbelt wearing is standard practice for the majority (93%; 252/270). The findings relating to helmet wearing add further to the debate around the mandatory introduction of protective headgear for cyclists.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Co Kildare. mary.quirke2009@num.es
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Quirke
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McGilloway
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Comiskey
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wynne
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hollywood
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001642:Bicycling / Q000293:injuries*; D002648:Child; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006260:Head Protective Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D011203:Poverty; D012622:Seat Belts / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057566:Self Report; D012737:Sex Factors; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*