The impact of helmets on motorcycle head trauma at a tertiary hospital in Jamaica

A prospectively collected trauma registry maintained by the Department of Surgery at the University Hospital of the West Indies in Jamaica was accessed to identify all motorcycle collision victims from January 2000 to January 2007. The therapeutic outcomes of traumatic brain injuries were compared between helmeted and un-helmeted riders. The data was analyzed using SPSS Version 12.Of 293 motorcycle collision victims, 143 sustained brain injuries. There were 9 females (6.3%) with an average age of 23 +/- 7.3 years and 134 males (93.7%) at an average age of 33.4 +/- 11.2 years (mean +/- SD). Only 49 (34.3%) patients wore a helmet at the time of a collision. Helmet use at the time of a collision significantly reduced the severity of head injuries (28.6% vs 46.8%, P = 0.028) and the likelihood of sustaining intra-cranial lesions (26.5% vs 44.7%, P = 0.03) from head injuries.Wearing a helmet at the time of a motorcycle collision reduces the severity of head injuries. However, the prevalence of helmet use at the time of a collision is unacceptably low.Motorcycles are small lightweight performance oriented vehicles that have become a popular means of transportation. Compared to traditional automobiles, motorcycles are easier to maneuver, consume less fuel and have shorter acceleration and transit times [1]. These advantages come at the expense of exposure to weather and reduced passenger/cargo capacity. Riders are also at an increased risk of collision because the small motorcycle size makes them less conspicuous to automobile drivers [1].When collisions occur, motorcycle riders are seriously disadvantaged by the lack of available safety equipment such as seat belts and air bags. An approved safety helmet is the single most important safety measure to protect motorcycle riders involved in collisions [1-6]. Helmeted riders have been shown to have 70% reduction in injury severity [2] and 40% reduction in mortality compared to un-helmeted riders in collisions [2,3]. Apart fro