Promotion of Increased Bike Helmet Use among High School and College Students - Coursework Example

Running Head: PROMOTION OF INCREASED BIKE HELMET USE AMONG HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS Promotion of Increased Bike Helmet Use among High School and College Students (Your Name) (Your School) Evidence Showing That the Behaviour Is Greatly Related To Disease Causality Bicycle use, just like the vehicles on the roads, has recorded cases of injuries and unfortunately even deaths have been reported. It is surprising to learn that America has million of bicycle riders yet the same country has very few people wearing helmets. In fact, teenagers wearing helmets have a zero percentage compliance with need for helmets. Surveys from the USA National Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) has reported that every year since the year 1970, there have been several cases of injuries related to bicycle riding going as high as approximately one million per year. Worse still, fatal cases were on the rise in the 1990’s it was approximately more than a million per year (Rodgers, 1994). Since brain is a very delicate organ, it can even lead to trauma and cases of insanity. The accidents that occur do so mostly in boys more than it does to girls. Cases in boys have recorded as high as 80%. Most of these injuries are associated to sports, leisure activities and also to transportation purposes. Cases have also been reported among students who ride while going to school (CDC, 2007). A report in 2003 showed that there were 23,800 injuries that occurred off the road and this was basically associated with the riding of the bike for recreational purposes. This group was majorly composed of high school and college students (CDC, 2006). The rate of those who are hospitalized is 18% and for those who are hospitalized, it is not a guarantee that they will all go out of the hospital healthy. A good number of them have been reported to have died at the end of the medication period due to serious head injuries. Based on the facts given above, it is a clear indication that the cost of not using helmets is so high. The total cost is almost $8 billion per year which clearly indicate the far the society suffers from such accidents which can be easily avoided. This calls for measures to curb this great mace. Findings obtained recently reveal that the use of helmets has not been encouraged and if well used, it would have proved to be of great help to prevent many cases of deaths and injuries. Head injury is the greatest for of injuries that is recorded among cyclists. In the head lies the brain which is one of the most delicate organs in human life. It is clearly stated out in researches that about one third of reported injuries are related to head damage. The same surveys have shown that helmet use has proved to be common with those who travel long distances but for those who only cycles through streets, probably having fun they rarely use them. For survival, helmet is seen as the only safest gadget if cycles have to survive a bike’s crush. NHTSA estimates that helmets reduce the possibility of fatal crush by 37 percent. Those without helmets are three times most likely to be injured than those with. Since majority of those who are injured are children and teens, many of the bicycle helmet promotion programs address this group. Some of such measures include educating the general public through use of campaigns, offering education programs included in the school curriculum, or giving out helmet discounts as give a ways which can help the poor who may not be able to afford (Schieber, et al. 2001). Why Is Helmet Use Important The number of deaths resulting from head injury is on the rise and hence there should be efforts to address the problem. In addition, as per the statistics, head injuries can be properly protected by the use of helmets. Facial injuries also fall in this category and hence can also be prevented. Most cyclists have argued that helmet inhibits the ability to the rider to hear traffic signals but this has been refuted in different studies. It is also important because as per the report, it is shown that there is a great loss to the government both financially and socially and hence if the helmet is utilized well it can help a lot, so it is worth taking it. To Ensure Safety Although putting on helmets is a very important thing to consider, there are other important factors that ought to be considered like why an individual should wear a helmet that suits him or her and that meets the standards laid down by the CPSC. This means that the main reason why individuals should wear helmet is to enhance their personal safety and safety of others. Why the Use of Helmet Is Sparingly Done There are several reasons that have caused the group under discussion not to use helmet while riding. Helmet use among elementary school pupils was reported to be higher than those in high school as shown by reports from a school in Colorado (Nagel, 2003). We may wonder why, but basically young children always have a tendency of listening to their parents when they are still young. But for adolescents, most of the times have shown a tendency of not putting into practice the guidelines given to them by their parents. It is also clear that students from a community which has cultivated a positive attitude towards the use of Helmet have a greater likelihood of using helmets unlike those from communities which have a negative attitude towards it. According to Page et al., (1996) social status also affects the use of helmet. For example, those coming from poor backgrounds have a problem of accessing helmets compared to those from rich backgrounds. No matter how low the prices might be, there are some who might still not be able to purchase them. Some parents whose children use borrowed bikes say that they won’t wish to purchase helmets for their children because they think that their parents have the capability of buying them bikes too. Lack of reinforcement is another factor which leads to failure to do so. Parents ought to be on the forefront in practicing this good virtue. In addition, there are those who do not wear helmets because of attitude. For example, there are those who think that probably if they helmet, they will be uncomfortable or may be it will prevent them from hearing the traffic instructions. Peer influence is another great factor that contributes to students not using helmets. Most students always want to show how rebellious they can be, probably to those in authorities or even to their peers. Culture also plays an important role in that based on ones backgrounds there are people who have issues on helmet wearing. The same culture also affects the gender that ought to put on the helmet and which should not. Research has shown that there is a possibility of ethnicity affecting the use of helmet. Reports show that based on where one lives for in stance, if one lives in the village, there is decreased chance of using helmet since one would be riding on his own. In addition, if the helmet is not properly used, it can lead to injuries and deaths. Helmets can prevent 56% serious bicycle related deaths but incase they are well used they can reduce by a greater percent of 65-68% of all related brain damages like facial fractures and lacerations (CDC, 2001). People addicted to approach of not using helmets have a problem in adopting the new rules reinforcing helmet wearing and this poses a great problem to the government. It calls for the government and the society at large to look for measures and means of dealing with this problem. Legislation is the greatest weapon as it ensures strict supervision even by the traffic police. Some parents have also neglected their role of guiding their children. They are not role models and therefore, their children only grow up to follow what their peers are doing. Reports have also shown that the death and injury cases differ from one race to another and from children of different age groups (Itsumi, 2009). However there have been disparities in study results on this aspect. For example, from the results carried out between 1999 and 2002 it was concluded that American Indian and Blacks had a higher total injury death rates as compared to other races especially the whites. The disparities in race could be because of the disparities in the accessibilities of the resources. Education is also an important factor and so if a community is not well versed with the use of helmet there is likelihood that they will not use it. Some communities also have preconceived ideas concerning the wearing or putting on of helmets. The big gaps that exist in cases of injuries among the blacks and the whites and even other races might be dealt with in the future when the interventions laid down by the government are put into action (CDC, 2007). The issue of race has to be featured when coming up with mechanisms on how to curb the great problem of injuries and deaths resulting from failure to put on helmets. Age is another important factor. The young generation shows a high death rate as compared to the older ones since most of them engage in games and recreational activities and again, they do not take the issue of wearing of helmets as important. Alcohol consumption is another great risk to bike riders since one can easily loose control and so measures ought to be taken into consideration to ensure that this is dealt with. Failure to use helmet for those in the rural areas is also the great reason as to why there are several cases reported concerning higher death rates in the rural areas as compared to those living in non rural areas. Ways of Advancing Safety There are different ways in which safety can be advanced. This is mainly entangled in different strategies that aim at increasing public awareness of the importance of using helmets. Some of the ways include: i) Raise public awareness on the importance of using helmet so as to curb the many cases of injuries that are frequently reported. ii) Change preconceived ideas and also attitudes towards the use of helmets for the affected group and the communities involved. Try to look upon the positive side of wearing of helmets. Those living near to such communities should also learn to tell them the positive side of it. iii) Create a better environment especially for parents. They should spend time with the young generation and teach them on the importance of using helmets so as to prevent careless riding or riding without a helmet. iv) There should be creation of programs probably through the media advocating for the use of helmets for bicycle riders. Such programs will to a great deal help for those who are not informed of the current statistics of the death rate due to injuries related to failures to wear helmets. v) Current data should be collected so as to find out how many students are adhering to the laid down regulations and if not what could be the contributing factor. vi) The government should lay down regulations and procedure to deal with those who are not following the laid down regulations (Kanny, 2001). vii) In school teachers should take the responsibility of teaching students the importance of putting on helmets and this to a great deal will help in motivating the students to embrace it and practice. viii) Reinforcement is another important consideration which can be done both in school and at home for those children who have shown positive approach to all the regulations given concerning the use of helmet while riding. ix) Punishment should be used and especially for the young children it is the role of the teacher and the parents to look into it but for those above eighteen years it is the role of the government through legislation to deal with them. Conclusion As have been highlighted, bicycle riding is a common recreational activity not only in the USA but also in other regions yet among children, 300 die and about 430,000 are injured per year. To promote the use of helmet it is the role of every shareholder to take a part to play. Educational campaigns will greatly impact over the same and therefore statistics should also be taken towards the outcome of the same intervention. All the efforts geared towards achieving this goal should continue. All the techniques required should be put into consideration in order to successfully meet the objectives intended for wearing of helmet. References CDC, (2007). Fatal injuries among children by race and ethnicity. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Vol. 55(5): 932 CDC, (2007). Nonfatal Traumatic Brain Injuries from Sports and Recreation Activities—United States, 2001-2005. Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report, Vol. 56(29):733–737. CDC. (2001). School Health Guidelines to Prevent Unintentional Injuries and Violence. Morbidity and Mortality Reports, Vol. 50: RR-22 Itsumi, K., Kimberly, L. H., & Lorann, S (2009). Associations between Childhood Bicycle Helmet Use, Current Use, and Family and Community Factors among College Students. Family & Community Health, Vol. 32(2): 159-166 Kanny, D., Schieber, A., Pryor, V., Kresnow, M. J. (2001). Effectiveness of a State law mandating use of bicycle helmets among children: an observational evaluation. American Journal of Epidemiology, Vol. 154(11):1072–1076 Nagel, R.M. Hankenhof, B. J. Kimmel, S. R. & Saxe, J.M. (2003). Educating grade school children using a structured bicycle safety program. Journal Trauma, Vol. 55(5):932-0 Page, M, Follett, K, Scanlan, A. (1996). Perceived barrier, risk perception, and social norm attitudes about wearing helmets among college students. American Journal of Health Behavior, Vol. 1996(20):33–40. Rodgers, G. (1994). CPSC Study: Bicycle Injuries and Helmet Use. Retrieved 19th October, 2009 from http://66.39.42.52/rodgers1.htm Schieber, A, Vegega, E. Reducing childhood pedestrian injuries. Injury Prevention, Vol. 8(1):1-10. Schieber, R. & Sacks, J. (2001). Measuring Community Bicycle Helmet Use among Children. Public Health Reports, Vol. 116 Read More