title: Describing and comparing the characteristics of injured bicyclists and other injured road users: a prospective cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We aimed to establish the frequency and characteristics (e.g. socioeconomic, pre-injury, and crash-related parameters) of injured bicyclists and other injured road users.
  
  
  METHODS
  748 participants aged ≥17 years who had sustained a minor or non-catastrophic injury in a land-transport crash, were interviewed after presenting to a metro hospital emergency department in New South Wales, Australia. A telephone-administered questionnaire obtained information on socio-economic, pre-injury health, and crash-related characteristics. These factors were then compared between injured bicyclists and other road users (car driver/passengers, motorcyclists/pillion and pedestrians/skateboarders). Cycling injury severity was characterized by three metrics (sustaining multiple injuries; hospital admission for ≥12 h; and sustaining a head/neck and/or facial injury).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this cohort of people with injuries, 238 (32 %) were bicyclists. Frequency of cycling injuries were significantly different between age-groups among men (p = 0.0002), and were more common in men aged 45-59. Bicyclists were more likely to be aged 45-59, married, have university/tertiary qualifications and have a professional occupation compared to other road users (all p <0.0001). Bicyclists compared to participants involved in other types of land transport crashes were more likely to self-report excellent general health (p = 0.01), and were less likely to report a great/overwhelming perceived danger of death or 15.0 % versus 23-41 %; p <0.0001). Frequency of upper extremity and lower extremity injuries in bicyclists were 81.9 % and 60.5 %, respectively. Explanatory variables significantly associated with injury severity metrics were age, education level, paid work status and perceived danger of death/disability in the crash.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Minor cycling injuries were a relatively common cause of mild-moderate injury presentations to metro emergency departments. A wide spectrum of socio-demographic-, pre-injury-, and crash-related characteristics were related to cycling injuries.
authors.affiliation: John Walsh Centre for Rehabilitation Research, Sydney Medical School, Kolling Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. bamini.gopinath@sydney.edu.au.
authors.forename: Bamini
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gopinath
authors.affiliation: John Walsh Centre for Rehabilitation Research, Sydney Medical School, Kolling Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.|The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Jagnoor
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jagnoor
authors.affiliation: John Walsh Centre for Rehabilitation Research, Sydney Medical School, Kolling Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.affiliation: John Walsh Centre for Rehabilitation Research, Sydney Medical School, Kolling Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kifley
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma Services, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dinh
authors.affiliation: The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ivers
authors.affiliation: Transport and Road Safety Research, The University of NSW, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Soufiane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boufous
authors.affiliation: John Walsh Centre for Rehabilitation Research, Sydney Medical School, Kolling Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Ian D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Cameron
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001642:Bicycling / Q000293:injuries*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009049:Motorcycles / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D000069636:Pedestrians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Bicyclist; Cohort; Non-catastrophic injury; Pre-injury; Socio-demographic