Helmet use and associated factors among commercial motorcyclists in Gulu City, Northern Uganda

Abstract

Background: Helmet use reduces the risk of fatal head injuries by 70% however, the prevalence of helmet use and associated factors in newly-created cities in Uganda such as Gulu is poorly studied. Objective: This study assessed helmet use prevalence and associated factors among commercial motorcyclists in Gulu City, Northern Uganda. Method: A mixed-methods, cross-sectional design combined quantitative survey of 356 randomly selected motorcyclists with Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) involving five purposively Key Informants Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were used to analyze quantitative data using Stata 15 while qualitative data was analyzed thematically using Nvivo 10 software. Result: Among 356 participants, 293 (82.3%) reported helmet use, but only 50 (14.0%) of them wearing helmets always. Participants who reported challenges while using helmets (AOR: 0.37, 95% Cl: 0.19-0.72) and those who reported high cost of helmet as a barrier (AOR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.21-1.60), had lower odds of using helmet. While, those who had secondary or tertiary level of education (AOR: 1.86, 95% CI: 1.02-3.38) and those who found helmet comfortable (AOR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.21-2.19), had higher odd of using helmets. Additionally, negligence and negative perceptions were barriers to helmets while affordability and police enforcement emerged as facilitators of helmet use. Conclusion: While most riders use helmets, very few reported always wearing them which reveals low consistency in helmet use, with affordability, challenges putting on, and level of education as predictors. Subsidizing helmet cost and strengthening law enforcement could improve helmet use.