TY - JOUR PY - 2013// TI - Helmets for skiing and snowboarding: Who is using them and why JO - Journal of trauma and acute care surgery A1 - Fenerty, Lynne A1 - Thibault-Halman, Ginette A1 - Bruce, Beth S. A1 - Landry, Jacob A1 - Young, Julian A1 - Walling, Simon A1 - Clarke, David B. SP - 895 EP - 900 VL - 74 IS - 3 N2 - BACKGROUND: In Canada, winter sports injuries are responsible for significant health care burden, with estimates of $400 million in direct and indirect annual health care costs. For ski-related injuries, helmets have been shown to provide significant protection. Current common practice in Canada, including the Province of Nova Scotia, is to leave the decision of whether to wear a helmet to the individual. The purposes of this study were to document skiers' and snowboarders' use of helmets and to isolate factors associated with helmet use and nonuse. METHODS: A mixed methods approach was used to collect data during a 2-month period at the province's three ski hills. Naturalistic observations documented helmet use and falls, whereas interviews identified factors influencing helmet use or nonuse. RESULTS: Helmets were used by most skiers (74%) and snowboarders (72%); the use varied significantly between ski hills, ranging from 69% to 79%. Females were more likely to wear helmets compare with males (80% vs. 70%). The highest rates of use were found among 4-year-old to 12-year-old children, with helmet use declining as age increases. Qualitative data revealed that helmet users were most influenced by the protective benefits of helmets (77%), personal choice (46%), family (44%), and rules (44%), while non-helmet users cited personal choice (29%), comfort (26%), rules (14%), and cost (11%) as reasons for nonuse. CONCLUSION: More than 25% of skiers and snowboarders remain at increased risk of a serious brain injury by not wearing a helmet. Changes in regulations may be required to ensure widespread use of helmets on ski hills. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic study, level II.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 2163-0755 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/TA.0b013e31827e19ca ID - ref1 ER -