Evolution of bicycle helmet use and its determinants in France: 2000–2010

• Published in: Accident analysis and prevention 2013-11, Vol.60, p.113-120
• Main Authors: Richard, Jean-Baptiste, Thélot, Bertrand, Beck, François
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Bicycle helmet use; Bicycles; Bicycling; Biological and medical sciences; Cross-Sectional Studies; Determinants; Economic conditions; Evolution; Female; France; General population survey; Head Protective Devices - statistics & numerical data; Head Protective Devices - trends; Head Protective Devices - utilization; Health Behavior; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health Promotion; Health Surveys; Helmets; Humans; Logistic Models; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Multivariate Analysis; Non-legislative interventions; Prevention and actions; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Regression analysis; Risk factors; Sex Distribution; Socioeconomic Factors; Urban areas; Wages; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0001-4575; 1879-2057
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2013.08.008

•Voluntary helmet use relies on underlying behavioural motivations.•Non-legislative interventions can be effective in increasing helmet wearing.•Several determinants of helmet use are highlighted.•The effects of social inequalities in helmet use have narrowed over the last decade.•Key target groups for further information campaigns are identified. This paper aims to analyse helmet use in France, as a voluntary behaviour rather than a legal requirement, promoted by public awareness campaigns. It aims to investigate the determinants of helmet wearing and to explore its evolution from 2000 to 2010. The analysis relies on data from a series of general population surveys called “Health Barometers”: 2000 (n=13,163), 2005 (n=25,651) and 2010 (n=8573). Multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify factors associated with helmet use and time trends. Nearly half of the 15–75 year olds surveyed reported that they rode a bicycle, and among these cyclists, 22.0% reported that they wore a helmet on their last ride. Further analysis by gender reveals that twice as many men than women wore helmets. Over the last decade, helmet use among cyclists has clearly increased, from 7.3% in 2000 to 22.0% in 2010, whereas the influence of social and economic factors, such as unemployment and wage disparities, appears to have decreased. Several determinants of bicycle helmet use were highlighted. To improve the effectiveness of further public information campaigns on helmet use, the key target groups should include women, under 25 year olds and people living in urban areas. Promoting the wearing of helmets among families should also be enhanced, given the higher rate of helmet use by parents as well as children.