Effect of motorcycle helmet types on head injuries: evidence from eight level-I trauma centres in Taiwan

Carlos Lam; Bayu Satria Wiratama; Wen-Han Chang; Ping-Ling Chen; Wen-Ta Chiu; Wafaa Saleh; Chih-Wei Pai

doi:10.1186/s12889-020-8191-1

Effect of motorcycle helmet types on head injuries: evidence from eight level-I trauma centres in Taiwan

BMC Public Health. 2020 Jan 17;20(1):78. doi: 10.1186/s12889-020-8191-1.

Authors

Carlos Lam^{1

2

3}, Bayu Satria Wiratama^{3

4}, Wen-Han Chang^{2

3

5

6

7

8}, Ping-Ling Chen³, Wen-Ta Chiu³, Wafaa Saleh⁹, Chih-Wei Pai¹⁰

Affiliations

¹ Emergency Department, Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, 111 Xinglong Road, Section 3, Taipei, 11696, Taiwan.
² Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wuxing Street, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan.
³ Graduate Institute of Injury Prevention and Control, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wuxing Street, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan.
⁴ Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Population Health, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, JL. Farmako, sekip utara sleman district, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia.
⁵ Department of Medicine, Mackay Medical College, 46 Zhongzheng Road, Section 3, New Taipei, 25245, Taiwan.
⁶ Department of Emergency Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, 92 Zhongshan North Road, Section 2, Taipei, 10449, Taiwan.
⁷ Mackay Medicine, Nursing and Management College, 92 Shengjing Road, Taipei, 11260, Taiwan.
⁸ Institute of Mechatronic Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, 1 Zhongxiao East Road, Section 3, Taipei, 10608, Taiwan.
⁹ Transport Research Institute, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, Scotland.
¹⁰ Graduate Institute of Injury Prevention and Control, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wuxing Street, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan. cpai@tmu.edu.tw.

Abstract

Background: Motorcycle full-coverage helmet use may reduce fatalities and head injuries.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study extracted injury data from eight level-I trauma centres in Taiwan and performed a questionnaire survey to investigate injuries sustained by motorcyclists for the period between January 2015 and June 2017.

Results: As many as 725 patients participated in the questionnaire survey and reported their helmet types or phone use during crashes. The results of multivariate logistic models demonstrated that nonstandard helmet (half or open-face helmet) use was associated with an increased risk of head injuries and more severe injuries (injury severity score ≥ 8). Drunk riding and phone use appeared to be two important risk factors for head injuries and increased injury severity. Anaemia was also found to be a determinant of head injuries."

Conclusions: Compared to full-coverage helmets, nonstandard provide less protection against head injuries and increased injury severity among motorcyclists.

Keywords: Head injury; Motorcycle helmet type; Motorcyclist injury severity.

MeSH terms

Accidents, Traffic / statistics & numerical data*
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Craniocerebral Trauma / epidemiology
Craniocerebral Trauma / prevention & control*
Female
Head Protective Devices / statistics & numerical data*
Humans
Injury Severity Score
Logistic Models
Male
Middle Aged
Motorcycles*
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors
Taiwan / epidemiology
Trauma Centers
Young Adult

Abstract

MeSH terms

Grants and funding