| 摘要 |
Background: The use of helmets has been promoted worldwide to protect motorcyclists from head‑and‑neck injuries and to reduce motorcycle accident‑related mortality. However, the results of previous studies
regarding the effectiveness of different types of helmets are controversial. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of three types of helmets: half‑helmets, open‑face helmets, and full‑face helmets, in protecting motorcyclists during traffic accidents.
Materials and Methods: A total of 6991 motorcyclists, who were hospitalized between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2019, were enrolled in this study. They were divided into two groups: those who did not wear helmets (n = 506) and those who wore helmets (n = 6,485). The latter group was subdivided according to the type of helmet used: half‑helmet (n = 3,027), open‑face helmet (n = 2,528), and full‑face helmet (n = 930). The primary outcome was inhospital mortality. The length of hospital stay and associated head‑and‑neck injuries were secondary outcomes.
Results: Half‑helmets offered significantly less protection than full‑face helmets, considering that patients using half‑helmets had a significantly higher rate of the Abbreviated Injury Scale ≥ 2 injuries to the head region and significantly higher odds of sustaining subdural hematoma, subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), and intracerebral hematoma than patients using full‑face helmets. However, higher odds of sustaining SAH were noted in patients using open‑face helmets. There were no significant differences in the Glasgow Coma
Scale score after injury or in the mortality rate in patients using either half‑helmets or open‑face helmets compared to those using full‑face helmets.
Conclusion: This study revealed that half‑helmets, but not open‑face helmets, offered significantly less protection from head injuries than full‑face helmets. However, the mortality rate and length of hospital stay after the injury did not differ among patients using the three types of helmets. |
