RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: Head injuries resulting from e-scooter use have led to calls for helmet use to be promoted or mandatory. Helmet use is mandatory for e-scooters in Australia but observational studies have reported significant levels of nonuse, particularly by riders of shared e-scooters. The aim of this study is to understand whether nonuse in the mandatory context is a consistent behavior for an individual or is situationally-influenced, and what are the factors associated with nonuse. METHODS: An online survey was completed between 2022 and 2023 by 360 adult e-scooter riders in Canberra, Australia. Riders were asked whether they had worn a helmet on their last ride and how often they had not worn a helmet when riding in the last 30 days. The survey also asked about rider characteristics (demographics, frequency of e-scooter and bicycle use, perceived risk of e-scooter use, e-scooter ownership, and risky behaviors while riding), trip duration and perceptions of the helmet requirement (knowledge of and support for the law). RESULTS: Respondents were mostly male, young, highly educated, and full-time workers. Of the 29.1% of riders who reported riding without a helmet in the last 30 days, 24.4% had worn a helmet at least once during that period and 4.8% had consistently not worn a helmet. Younger age, shared e-scooter use and more frequent riding frequency (shared e-scooters only) were associated with helmet nonuse in the bivariate analyses but not in the logistic regression. Logistic regression showed that the independent predictors of helmet nonuse were the number of risky riding behaviors, lack of knowledge, and lack of support for the law. CONCLUSIONS: Most nonuse of helmets in a mandatory context seems to be situational, rather than consistent. Many of the factors associated with nonuse of helmets for e-scooters are similar to those reported for bicycles. Nonuse of helmets appears to be one of a number of risky behaviors performed by riders, rather than being primarily an outcome that is specific to factors associated with helmets (e.g., concerns about hygiene, discomfort or availability).
RESUMO
PURPOSE: To survey healthcare workers (HCW) on availability and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) caring for COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). MATERIALS AND METHOD: A web-based survey distributed worldwide in April 2020. RESULTS: We received 2711 responses from 1797 (67%) physicians, 744 (27%) nurses, and 170 (6%) Allied HCW. For routine care, most (1557, 58%) reportedly used FFP2/N95 masks, waterproof long sleeve gowns (1623; 67%), and face shields/visors (1574; 62%). Powered Air-Purifying Respirators were used routinely and for intubation only by 184 (7%) and 254 (13%) respondents, respectively. Surgical masks were used for routine care by 289 (15%) and 47 (2%) for intubations. At least one piece of standard PPE was unavailable for 1402 (52%), and 817 (30%) reported reusing single-use PPE. PPE was worn for a median of 4 h (IQR 2, 5). Adverse effects of PPE were associated with longer shift durations and included heat (1266, 51%), thirst (1174, 47%), pressure areas (1088, 44%), headaches (696, 28%), Inability to use the bathroom (661, 27%) and extreme exhaustion (492, 20%). CONCLUSIONS: HCWs reported widespread shortages, frequent reuse of, and adverse effects related to PPE. Urgent action by healthcare administrators, policymakers, governments and industry is warranted.
