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Helmet Wearing and Traumatic Brain Injuries Among Motorcyclists in Cotonou

Received: 28 April 2018    Accepted: 16 May 2018    Published: 8 June 2018
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Abstract

Background: traumatic brain injury is a real health problem, especially in low-income countries. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of helmet wearing on primary injuries in motorcycle trauma. Methods: this was a cross-sectional study from 1st January to 31st December 2013. It covered all motorcycle users, admitted in emergency at Cotonou National Teaching Hospital, with a traumatic brain injury. Epidemiological variables and primary lesions were identified. Statistical analysis was performed with Chi2 and Fischer’s tests; a p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: we collected 310 patients (57.9% of traumatic brain injury), 11 of whom wore a helmet. They were predominantly male (male to female ratio =7.6), with a mean age of 33.2 ± 10.9 years. Craftsmen (24.4%) were the most affected. The head trauma was often opened (172 cases / 299) in patients without helmet compared with 4 cases / 11 in patients with helmet (p = 0.001). Similarly, primary lesions were often more severe in patients without helmet, with a large number of primary lesions requiring surgery. Conclusion: helmet wearing significantly reduces the risk of serious primary injuries in motorcyclists in our context. Strict enforcement of mandatory helmet use should reduce the incidence of disabling injuries in our country.

Published in Journal of Surgery (Volume 6, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.js.20180603.14
Page(s) 73-77
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Motorcyclist, Helmet Wearing, Traumatic Brain Injury

References
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[7] Masters SJ, McClean PM, Arcarese JS, Brown RF, Campbell JA, Freed HA, et al. Skull x-ray examinatons after head trauma. Recommendations by multidisciplinary panel and validation study. N Engl J Med. 1987; 316 (2): 84-91.
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Iréti Fiacre Tidjani, Sègla Pascal Chigblo, Valentin Houannou, Thierry Alihonou, Eric Lawson, et al. (2018). Helmet Wearing and Traumatic Brain Injuries Among Motorcyclists in Cotonou. Journal of Surgery, 6(3), 73-77. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.js.20180603.14

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    ACS Style

    Iréti Fiacre Tidjani; Sègla Pascal Chigblo; Valentin Houannou; Thierry Alihonou; Eric Lawson, et al. Helmet Wearing and Traumatic Brain Injuries Among Motorcyclists in Cotonou. J. Surg. 2018, 6(3), 73-77. doi: 10.11648/j.js.20180603.14

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    AMA Style

    Iréti Fiacre Tidjani, Sègla Pascal Chigblo, Valentin Houannou, Thierry Alihonou, Eric Lawson, et al. Helmet Wearing and Traumatic Brain Injuries Among Motorcyclists in Cotonou. J Surg. 2018;6(3):73-77. doi: 10.11648/j.js.20180603.14

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  • @article{10.11648/j.js.20180603.14,
      author = {Iréti Fiacre Tidjani and Sègla Pascal Chigblo and Valentin Houannou and Thierry Alihonou and Eric Lawson and Penance Agbélélé and Soumaïla Madougou and Aristote Hans-Moevi Akué},
      title = {Helmet Wearing and Traumatic Brain Injuries Among Motorcyclists in Cotonou},
      journal = {Journal of Surgery},
      volume = {6},
      number = {3},
      pages = {73-77},
      doi = {10.11648/j.js.20180603.14},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.js.20180603.14},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.js.20180603.14},
      abstract = {Background: traumatic brain injury is a real health problem, especially in low-income countries. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of helmet wearing on primary injuries in motorcycle trauma. Methods: this was a cross-sectional study from 1st January to 31st December 2013. It covered all motorcycle users, admitted in emergency at Cotonou National Teaching Hospital, with a traumatic brain injury. Epidemiological variables and primary lesions were identified. Statistical analysis was performed with Chi2 and Fischer’s tests; a p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: we collected 310 patients (57.9% of traumatic brain injury), 11 of whom wore a helmet. They were predominantly male (male to female ratio =7.6), with a mean age of 33.2 ± 10.9 years. Craftsmen (24.4%) were the most affected. The head trauma was often opened (172 cases / 299) in patients without helmet compared with 4 cases / 11 in patients with helmet (p = 0.001). Similarly, primary lesions were often more severe in patients without helmet, with a large number of primary lesions requiring surgery. Conclusion: helmet wearing significantly reduces the risk of serious primary injuries in motorcyclists in our context. Strict enforcement of mandatory helmet use should reduce the incidence of disabling injuries in our country.},
     year = {2018}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Helmet Wearing and Traumatic Brain Injuries Among Motorcyclists in Cotonou
    AU  - Iréti Fiacre Tidjani
    AU  - Sègla Pascal Chigblo
    AU  - Valentin Houannou
    AU  - Thierry Alihonou
    AU  - Eric Lawson
    AU  - Penance Agbélélé
    AU  - Soumaïla Madougou
    AU  - Aristote Hans-Moevi Akué
    Y1  - 2018/06/08
    PY  - 2018
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.js.20180603.14
    DO  - 10.11648/j.js.20180603.14
    T2  - Journal of Surgery
    JF  - Journal of Surgery
    JO  - Journal of Surgery
    SP  - 73
    EP  - 77
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-0930
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.js.20180603.14
    AB  - Background: traumatic brain injury is a real health problem, especially in low-income countries. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of helmet wearing on primary injuries in motorcycle trauma. Methods: this was a cross-sectional study from 1st January to 31st December 2013. It covered all motorcycle users, admitted in emergency at Cotonou National Teaching Hospital, with a traumatic brain injury. Epidemiological variables and primary lesions were identified. Statistical analysis was performed with Chi2 and Fischer’s tests; a p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: we collected 310 patients (57.9% of traumatic brain injury), 11 of whom wore a helmet. They were predominantly male (male to female ratio =7.6), with a mean age of 33.2 ± 10.9 years. Craftsmen (24.4%) were the most affected. The head trauma was often opened (172 cases / 299) in patients without helmet compared with 4 cases / 11 in patients with helmet (p = 0.001). Similarly, primary lesions were often more severe in patients without helmet, with a large number of primary lesions requiring surgery. Conclusion: helmet wearing significantly reduces the risk of serious primary injuries in motorcyclists in our context. Strict enforcement of mandatory helmet use should reduce the incidence of disabling injuries in our country.
    VL  - 6
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Traumatology-Orthopedy, Centre National Hospitalier Universitaire Hubert Koutoukou Maga, Cotonou, Benin

  • Department of Traumatology-Orthopedy, Centre National Hospitalier Universitaire Hubert Koutoukou Maga, Cotonou, Benin

  • Department of Anesthesia-Resuscitation, Centre National Hospitalier Universitaire Hubert Koutoukou Maga, Cotonou, Benin

  • Department of General Surgery, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Départemental Ouémé/Plateau, Porto-Novo, Benin

  • Department of Traumatology-Orthopedy, Centre National Hospitalier Universitaire Hubert Koutoukou Maga, Cotonou, Benin

  • Department of Traumatology-Orthopedy, Centre National Hospitalier Universitaire Hubert Koutoukou Maga, Cotonou, Benin

  • Department of Traumatology-Orthopedy, Centre National Hospitalier Universitaire Hubert Koutoukou Maga, Cotonou, Benin

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