Skip to main content
Journal cover image

Inequalities in the use of helmets by race and payer status among pediatric cyclists.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Gulack, BC; Englum, BR; Rialon, KL; Talbot, LJ; Keenan, JE; Rice, HE; Scarborough, JE; Adibe, OO
Published in: Surgery
August 2015

BACKGROUND: Despite nationwide campaigns to increase the use of helmets among pediatric cyclists, many children continue to be injured while riding without a helmet. To determine where programs and policies intended to promote helmet use should be directed, we surveyed a large national dataset to identify variables associated with helmet use. METHODS: The National Trauma Data Bank was queried during the years 2007, 2010, and 2011 for children younger than the age of 16 years who were involved in a bicycle accident. Children were grouped based on whether they had a helmet on during the accident. A multivariable logistic mixed-effects model was utilized to determine factors associated with helmet use. RESULTS: Of the 7,678 children included in the analysis, 1,695 (22.1%) were wearing a helmet during their accident. On unadjusted analysis, nonhelmeted riders were more likely to be older (median age 11 years vs 10 years, P < .001), black (10.1% vs 3.7%, P < .001) or insured by Medicaid (32.8% vs 14.3%, P < .001). After adjustment, black children were still less likely to have had worn a helmet compared with white children (adjusted odds ratio 0.38, 95% confidence interval 0.28-0.50). Children on Medicaid were also less likely to have been wearing a helmet compared to children with private insurance (adjusted odds ratio 0.33, 95% confidence interval 0.28-0.39). CONCLUSION: Children who are black or who are on Medicaid are less likely to be wearing a helmet when involved in a bicycle accident than white children or children with private insurance, respectively. Future efforts to promote helmet use should be directed towards these groups.

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

Surgery

DOI

EISSN

1532-7361

Publication Date

August 2015

Volume

158

Issue

2

Start / End Page

556 / 561

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • United States
  • Surgery
  • Safety
  • Risk Factors
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Racial Groups
  • Odds Ratio
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Medicaid
  • Male
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Gulack, B. C., Englum, B. R., Rialon, K. L., Talbot, L. J., Keenan, J. E., Rice, H. E., … Adibe, O. O. (2015). Inequalities in the use of helmets by race and payer status among pediatric cyclists. Surgery, 158(2), 556–561. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surg.2015.02.025
Gulack, Brian C., Brian R. Englum, Kristy L. Rialon, Lindsay J. Talbot, Jeffrey E. Keenan, Henry E. Rice, John E. Scarborough, and Obinna O. Adibe. “Inequalities in the use of helmets by race and payer status among pediatric cyclists.Surgery 158, no. 2 (August 2015): 556–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surg.2015.02.025.
Gulack BC, Englum BR, Rialon KL, Talbot LJ, Keenan JE, Rice HE, et al. Inequalities in the use of helmets by race and payer status among pediatric cyclists. Surgery. 2015 Aug;158(2):556–61.
Gulack, Brian C., et al. “Inequalities in the use of helmets by race and payer status among pediatric cyclists.Surgery, vol. 158, no. 2, Aug. 2015, pp. 556–61. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.surg.2015.02.025.
Gulack BC, Englum BR, Rialon KL, Talbot LJ, Keenan JE, Rice HE, Scarborough JE, Adibe OO. Inequalities in the use of helmets by race and payer status among pediatric cyclists. Surgery. 2015 Aug;158(2):556–561.
Journal cover image

Published In

Surgery

DOI

EISSN

1532-7361

Publication Date

August 2015

Volume

158

Issue

2

Start / End Page

556 / 561

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • United States
  • Surgery
  • Safety
  • Risk Factors
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Racial Groups
  • Odds Ratio
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Medicaid
  • Male