Effect of different helmet types in head injuries: a case-control study in northern Ghana.

BACKGROUND: Motorcycle helmet use is low in Ghana and many helmets are non-standard. There are limited data on the effectiveness of the different helmet types in use in the real-world circumstances of low-income and middle-income countries. This study assessed the effect of different helmet types on risk of head injury among motorcycle crash victims in northern Ghana. METHODS: A prospective unmatched case-control study was conducted at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH). All persons who had injuries from a motorcycle crash within 2 weeks of presentation to TTH were consecutively sampled. A total of 349 cases, persons who sustained minor to severe head injury, and 363 controls, persons without head injury, were enrolled. A semistructured questionnaire was used to interview patients and review their medical records. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds for head injury. RESULTS: After adjusting for confounders, the odds of head injuries were 93% less in motorcyclists with full-face helmet (FFH) (adjusted OR, AOR 0.07, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.15) or open-face helmet (OFH) (AOR 0.07, 95% CI 0.04, 0.13), compared with unhelmeted motorcyclists. Half-coverage helmets (HCH) were less effective (AOR 0.41, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.92). With exception of HCH, the AORs of head injury for the different types of helmets were lower in riders (FFH=0.06, OFH=0.05 and HCH=0.47) than in pillion riders (FFH=0.11, OFH=0.12 and HCH=0.35). CONCLUSION: Even in this environment where there is a high proportion of non-standard helmets, the available helmets provided significant protection against head injury, but with considerably less protection provided by HCHs.

Occupants' seatbelt use are related to vehicle type and usage on a Ghanaian university campus.

Seat belt use does not only save lives but prevents the severity of injuries in road traffic crashes (RTCs). Vehicle type and usage have been found to influence the use of seat belt in cities like Kumasi, the host of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) campus. This paper presents a study on an un-obstructive survey of seat belt use by vehicle occupants entering and leaving KNUST campus through the four entrances from 7 to 9 am and 3 to 5 pm on five weekdays. A total of 5489 vehicles with 9542 occupants comprising 5489 drivers, front-right and first back seat and second back seat passengers were observed. The majority of the private and SUV drivers used seat belts. Meanwhile, almost all the commercial drivers did not use seat belts. There is a statistically significant relationship between vehicle type and use and the use of seat belt in KNUST.