Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports
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Scand J Med Sci Sports · Feb 2017
Head injury trends and helmet use in skiers and snowboarders in Western Canada, 2008-2009 to 2012-2013: an ecological study.
This research explored associations between helmet use and head injuries in snowsports by investigating reported snowsport injuries in Western Canada from 2008-2009 to 2012-2013. The key finding was that increased helmet use (from 69% to 80%) was not associated with a reduction in reported head injuries. Over the study period, the average rate of reported head injuries was 0.2/1000 skier visits, with a statistically significant variation (P < 0.001). ⋯ There were significant differences in characteristics of helmet and non-helmet wearers. Helmet wearers were more likely to be: young adults (P < 0.001); beginner/novices (P = 0.004); and snowboarders (P < 0.001), but helmet wearing was not associated with gender (P = 0.191). Further research is needed to explore the possible reasons for the failure of helmets to reduce head injuries, for example, increased reporting of head injuries and increased risk-taking combined with over-rating of the helmets' protection.