Predictors of bicycle helmet usage among seniors.

This study identified predictors of bicycle helmet usage in a sample of seniors in Mesa, Arizona. Participants reported: days/week bicycling, usual duration, where biking occurred, helmet ownership, bicycle accidents, injuries, and age and gender. Descriptive, non-parametric statistics, and regression analysis were utilized. Seventy-four females and 123 males completed the survey. The mean age was 70.7(7.2) years. Respondents biked a mean of 4.9(2.3) days per week and averaged 40.5 (32.5) minutes of riding per day. Eighty-two participants (41.6%) owned bicycle helmets and 55 (27.9%) were observed wearing helmets. Eighty-seven (44.2%) participants biked outside their retirement community and 25 (12.7%) reported an accident within the past year. Chi-square (2, N = 197) = 0.66, p = .72) indicated no differences in of male or female helmet usage. Those who rode outside the retirement communities (chi2(2, 197) = 22.6, p = .001) were more likely to wear helmets than counterparts. Logistic regression found age to be a predictor of bicycle helmet usage.