TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of different helmet types in head injuries
T2 - A case-control study in northern Ghana
AU - Baffour Appiah, Anthony
AU - Akweongo, Patricia
AU - Sackey, Samuel Oko
AU - Morna, Martin Tangnaa
AU - Kenu, Ernest
AU - Buunaaim, Alexis Dun Bo Ib
AU - Debrah, Samual Akobour Yaw
AU - Ojo, Thomas K.
AU - Donkor, Peter
AU - Mock, Charles N.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
PY - 2022/10/5
Y1 - 2022/10/5
N2 - Background Motorcycle helmet use is low in Ghana and many helmets are non-standard. There are limited data on the effectiveness of the different helmet types in use in the real-world circumstances of low-income and middle-income countries. This study assessed the effect of different helmet types on risk of head injury among motorcycle crash victims in northern Ghana. Methods A prospective unmatched case-control study was conducted at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH). All persons who had injuries from a motorcycle crash within 2 weeks of presentation to TTH were consecutively sampled. A total of 349 cases, persons who sustained minor to severe head injury, and 363 controls, persons without head injury, were enrolled. A semistructured questionnaire was used to interview patients and review their medical records. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds for head injury. Results After adjusting for confounders, the odds of head injuries were 93% less in motorcyclists with full-face helmet (FFH) (adjusted OR, AOR 0.07, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.15) or open-face helmet (OFH) (AOR 0.07, 95% CI 0.04, 0.13), compared with unhelmeted motorcyclists. Half-coverage helmets (HCH) were less effective (AOR 0.41, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.92). With exception of HCH, the AORs of head injury for the different types of helmets were lower in riders (FFH=0.06, OFH=0.05 and HCH=0.47) than in pillion riders (FFH=0.11, OFH=0.12 and HCH=0.35). Conclusion Even in this environment where there is a high proportion of non-standard helmets, the available helmets provided significant protection against head injury, but with considerably less protection provided by HCHs.
AB - Background Motorcycle helmet use is low in Ghana and many helmets are non-standard. There are limited data on the effectiveness of the different helmet types in use in the real-world circumstances of low-income and middle-income countries. This study assessed the effect of different helmet types on risk of head injury among motorcycle crash victims in northern Ghana. Methods A prospective unmatched case-control study was conducted at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH). All persons who had injuries from a motorcycle crash within 2 weeks of presentation to TTH were consecutively sampled. A total of 349 cases, persons who sustained minor to severe head injury, and 363 controls, persons without head injury, were enrolled. A semistructured questionnaire was used to interview patients and review their medical records. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds for head injury. Results After adjusting for confounders, the odds of head injuries were 93% less in motorcyclists with full-face helmet (FFH) (adjusted OR, AOR 0.07, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.15) or open-face helmet (OFH) (AOR 0.07, 95% CI 0.04, 0.13), compared with unhelmeted motorcyclists. Half-coverage helmets (HCH) were less effective (AOR 0.41, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.92). With exception of HCH, the AORs of head injury for the different types of helmets were lower in riders (FFH=0.06, OFH=0.05 and HCH=0.47) than in pillion riders (FFH=0.11, OFH=0.12 and HCH=0.35). Conclusion Even in this environment where there is a high proportion of non-standard helmets, the available helmets provided significant protection against head injury, but with considerably less protection provided by HCHs.
KW - Health Education
KW - Helmet
KW - Motorcycle
KW - Traumatic Brain Injury
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85142506975&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1136/ip-2022-044683
DO - 10.1136/ip-2022-044683
M3 - Article
C2 - 36198481
AN - SCOPUS:85142506975
SN - 1353-8047
VL - 29
SP - 50
EP - 55
JO - Injury Prevention
JF - Injury Prevention
IS - 1
ER -