Comparative Study of Organizational Measures on Helmet Use Rate in Trang Hospital Personnel

Abstract

Objective: To compare the efficacy of organizational measures on helmet use rate of the motorcycle driver and rider in Trang Hospital. Materials and Methods: The present study was a prospective study comparing the helmet use rate before and after the measures including helmet policy, supportive and incentive organizational measure, and penalizing organizational measure. The personnel of Trang Hospital included 1,441 people. There were 637 drive-only personnel, 143 ride-only personnel and 443 drive-ride personnel. The helmet use rate was collected at the front gate of the hospital by closed circuit video camera monitoring during 07:00 am to 08:30 am every day for one week before and after the various measures. The mean helmet use rates were compared by the chi-square test was considered significant at the p value of less than 0.05. Results: The increased rate of helmet use in driver after the supportive and incentive organizational measure and the penalizing organizational measure compared to the helmet use rate before the policy measures were statistically significant (p<0.001). Unlike the increased rate of helmet use in driver and rider after the policy measure compared to the helmet use rate before the policy measure were not statistically significant (p=0.220, 0.470, consecutively). The increased helmet use of the rider after the penalizing organizational measure was statistically significant when compared to the helmet use rate before the policy (p<0.001), and the supportive and incentive measure (p=0.019). However, the increased rate of helmet use in driver after the penalizing organizational measure compared to the helmet use rate after the supportive and incentive organizational measure were not statistically significant (p=0.990). Conclusion: Only the policy measure has not significantly increased the rate of helmet use in both drivers and riders. The supportive and incentive organizational measure have significantly increased the helmet use rate in the drivers, but not significantly increased the rate of helmet use in the riders. However, the penalizing organizational measure has significantly increased the rate of helmet use in the riders, but not significantly increased the rate of helmet use in the drivers. Keywords: Helmet implementation, Organizational measure, Head injury prevention, Motorcycle accident, Helmet use rate