Journal article
Rural adolescent attitudes and use of helmets while riding ATVs, motorcycles and dirt bikes
Injury epidemiology, Vol.11(Suppl 1), 44
09/05/2024
DOI: 10.1186/s40621-024-00532-2
PMCID: PMC11375824
PMID: 39237989
Abstract
Background
Head injuries are the most common cause of death in some motorized vehicles for which helmet use can significantly decrease the risk. Our objective was to determine rural adolescents’ attitudes regarding helmets and their use while riding ATVs, motorcycles and dirt bikes.
Methods
A convenience sample of 2022 Iowa FFA (formerly Future Farmers of America) Leadership Conference attendees were surveyed. After compilation, data were imported into the statistical program, R (https://www.R-project.org/). Descriptive statistics, contingency table, logistic regression and non-parametric alternatives to ANOVA analyses were performed.
Results
1331 adolescents (13–18 years) participated. One half lived on a farm, 21% lived in the country/not on a farm and 28% were from towns. Nearly two-thirds (65%) owned an ATV with 77% of all having ridden one in the past year. Farm residents had the highest ATV ownership (78%) and having ridden (80%) proportions, both p < 0.001. Overall, ownership and ridership for motorcycles (22% and 30%, respectively) and dirt bikes (29% and 39%, respectively) was significantly less than ATVs, all p < 0.001. Of ATV riders, those living on farms or in the country/not on a farm rode them more frequently than those from towns, p < 0.001. Higher percentages always/mostly wore helmets when riding dirt bikes (51%) and motorcycles (57%) relative to ATVs (21%), p < 0.001. Those from farms had lower proportions wearing helmets versus those living elsewhere for all vehicles. Helmet use importance ratings (1–10, 10 high) were not different for motorcycles (mean 8.6, median 10) and dirt bikes (mean 8.3, median 10), but much lower for ATVs (mean 6.1, median 6). Females, non-owners, and helmet law supporters all had higher helmet use importance ratings. Males, those from farms, and owners and riders of the vehicles all had lower proportions that supported helmet laws. Support for helmet laws was significantly lower for ATVs (30.7%) than dirt bikes (56.3%) or motorcycles (72.3%), both p < 0.001. Those whose families had strict ATV “No Helmet, No Riding” rules had much higher helmet use and helmet importance ratings.
Conclusions
Our study indicates that the safety culture surrounding helmet use is relatively poor among rural adolescents, especially on farms, and deserves targeted interventions.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Rural adolescent attitudes and use of helmets while riding ATVs, motorcycles and dirt bikes
- Creators
- Charles A. Jennissen - University of IowaSehansa R. Karunatilaka - University of IowaBrianna J. Iverson - University of IowaDevin E. Spolsdoff - University of IowaKristel M. Wetjen - University of IowaBrenda Vergara - Iowa City, IA USAShannon R. Landers - Kansas City UniversityPam J. Hoogerwerf - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Injury epidemiology, Vol.11(Suppl 1), 44
- DOI
- 10.1186/s40621-024-00532-2
- PMID
- 39237989
- PMCID
- PMC11375824
- NLM abbreviation
- Inj Epidemiol
- ISSN
- 2197-1714
- eISSN
- 2197-1714
- Publisher
- BioMed Central
- Grant note
We would like to acknowledge and thank the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital's Off-Road Vehicle Task Force who participated in developing and administering the survey that was used in this study. Special thanks to Courtney Sand, Michele Lilienthal, and Katrina Altenhofen for their help on this project, and to Paige Batten and Alexis Moore for entering some of the data into Qualtrics. We are grateful for Gerene Denning, PhD, and her assistance in editing the manuscript. We also want to acknowledge and thank the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Department of Pediatrics and the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children's Hospital for its support of the Injury Prevention Program.
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 09/05/2024
- Academic Unit
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Emergency Medicine; Injury Prevention Research Center; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984701857402771
Metrics
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