Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #121361

Dwight D. Chenette, MBA, MPH Student, Johns Hopkins University, Health Care District of Palm Beach County, CEO, 324 Datura Street, Suit 401, West Palm Beach, FL 33401, 5616591270, dchenett@hcdpbc.org

After 33 years of maintaining a universal helmet law for motorcycle riders, the State of Florida relaxed the law to exempt adult motorcycle riders who carry $10,000 in medical insurance coverage. The change resulted in an immediate decrease in helmet use exposing riders to increased injury and society to greater economic burden. A four year retrospective study approved by the Johns Hopkins University Institutional Review Board for Human Subject Research was conducted to measure the impact of not wearing a helmet for motorcycle crash victims in Palm Beach County, Florida. The specific goals of the study were to evaluate the difference in fatality, injury severity, resource consumption and functional outcomes.

For the 12 months preceding the law change, 87 percent of motorcycle crash victims were wearing a helmet at the time of injury. Four years later, the percentage declined to 44 percent. During the study period, there was a significant difference in the severity of head and neck injuries as well as injuries to the face. The proportion of head injuries was significantly higher in the non-helmet group, 43 percent as compared to 27 percent in the helmeted group. (p = 0.002) The ratio of serious head injuries was 2:1 with non-helmeted riders at much greater risk. (p = 0.001) Non-helmeted riders consumed more resources and were less likely to be covered by health insurance. This research suggests that universal helmet laws protect both the safety of riders and the financial resources of society.

Learning Objectives:

• Articulate the impact of motorcycle helmet use on mortality and mobidity.
• Describe the economic impact relaxed helmet policies have on the public.
• Understand the history of motorcycle helmet laws in the United States.
• Develop analytical skills on how to structure statistically based retrospective human research studies.

Keywords: Injury, Public Policy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation