Knowledge, attitude and practices of commercial motorcyclists towards helmet usage in Osogbo Metropolis of Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: Helmets are known to mitigate the risk of traumatic brain injury and fatality among motorcyclists involved in road traffic crashes. Despite their proven effectiveness, the adoption of helmets remains low among commercial motorcyclists in many parts of Nigeria. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) towards helmet usage among commercial motorcyclists  in Osogbo metropolis, Osun State, Nigeria.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study involving 217 commercial motorcyclists was conducted using a multi-stage sampling technique. A pre-tested intervieweradministered semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data on knowledge, attitude and  practices regarding helmet usage. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 25.0. Univariate analysis was done using a frequency table  for socio-demographics. Chisquare test was used for bivariate analysis of association between categorical variables. Level of significance  was set at p<0.05

Results: The results indicated that while most respondents demonstrated good knowledge regarding helmet usage  (86.2%), their attitudes and practices towards helmet usage were generally poor (57.1% and 86.2%, respectively). Age, ethnicity,  educational level, motorcycle ownership and engagement in other vocational activities had statistically significant association with good  knowledge regarding helmets (p-values <0.05). Ethnicity, income and motorcycle ownership were significantly associated with good  attitude towards helmet usage (p-values <0.05) whereas only educational level and motorcycle ownership had significant association with  good practices.

Conclusion: The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to promote positive attitudes and  practices towards helmet usage among commercial motorcyclists in Osogbo metropolis.