Citation

Babazadeh T, Kouzekanani K, Ghasemzadeh S, Matlabi H, Allahverdipour H. J. Community Health 2019; 44(4): 828-835.

Affiliation

Research Center of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Department of Health Education and Promotion, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. allahverdipourh@tbzmed.ac.ir.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10900-019-00663-4

PMID

30982143

Abstract

Although the use of helmets is known to prevent the majority of mortalities by head injuries, it is ignored by a large number of motorcyclists. The present study was conducted to promote helmet use in an attempt to reduce injuries among motorcyclists in a rural area by adopting a community-based participation approach. The one-group pretest-posttest pre-experimental design was conducted in northwest Iran. The study was conducted in three phases: (1) baseline measurement, (2) implementation of the intervention, and (3) assessment of the outcomes. The intervention included the distribution of learning tools, education of various community groups, tightening of driving laws for offending motorcyclists, promotional programs at community level, and utilizing all opportunities to discuss the benefits of helmets. Due to the non-experimental nature of the study, no causal inferences were drawn. After the intervention, the percentage of the awareness of the benefits of helmet use was increased by 28%, positive attitudes towards benefits of helmet use was increased by 32.6%, and supporting helmet use was increased by 58.6%. Moreover, helmet sale and use increased by 147.0% and 32.0%, respectively. Additionally, motorcycle accidents, head injuries, and mortalities were decreased by 71.8, 55.5, and 60.0%, respectively. Community-based participation approach may positively influence health promoting behaviors and motorcyclists' decisions to wear helmet in rural areas.

Language: en

Keywords

Community-based participation; Helmet; Interventional study; Motorcyclists