PUBLIC PERCEPTION AND PRACTICES REGARDING HELMET USE IN PREVENTING HEAD INJURIES IN PESHAWAR, KPK, PAKISTAN: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Authors

  • Muhammad Ziad Principal/Assistant Professor at Mardan Institute of Nursing and Allied Medical Sciences Author
  • Irfan Ullah Vice-Principal/Assistant Professor at Mardan Institute of Nursing and Allied Medical Sciences Author
  • Muhammad Qasim Senior Lecturer at Mardan Institute of Nursing and Allied Medical Sciences Author
  • Amjad Ali Registered Nurse ER at Al Dhannah Hospital under the Operations & Management of Burieel Medical City, UAE Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62019/y8e0gc94

Keywords:

Helmet use, Public perception, Head injuries prevention

Abstract

Background: Motorcycles are a common and affordable means of transport in Pakistan, but riders face high risk of road traffic accidents and head injuries. Helmet use is the most effective preventive measure; however, compliance remains low despite legal enforcement.

Objective: This study aimed to assess public perceptions and practices regarding helmet use in preventing head injuries in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 385 participants using convenience sampling. Data were collected through a structured, validated questionnaire evaluating perceptions and practices of helmet use. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied for analysis.

Results: Most respondents recognized helmets as protective and acknowledged their legal requirement. Despite this, practice was poor: the majority reported not carrying or regularly wearing helmets, with many admitting they only used helmets in the presence of traffic police to avoid fines. While 81% of participants had received some form of education on helmet safety, more than half cited discomfort and inconvenience as major barriers to consistent use.

Conclusion: A clear gap exists between positive perceptions and poor practices of helmet use. Public awareness campaigns, stronger law enforcement, and addressing practical barriers to helmet compliance are crucial for improving road safety and reducing head injury–related morbidity and mortality.

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Published

2025-09-17

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 3 (2025): Journal of Medical & Health Sciences Review

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Muhammad Ziad, Irfan Ullah, Muhammad Qasim, Amjad Ali (Author)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

All articles published in the Journal of Medical & Health Sciences Review (JMHSR) remain the copyright of their respective authors. JMHSR publishes its content under the Creative Commons Attribution‑NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY‑NC 4.0), which allows readers to freely share, copy, adapt, and build upon the work for non‑commercial purposes, provided proper credit is given to both the authors and the journal. 

How to Cite

PUBLIC PERCEPTION AND PRACTICES REGARDING HELMET USE IN PREVENTING HEAD INJURIES IN PESHAWAR, KPK, PAKISTAN: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY. (2025). Journal of Medical & Health Sciences Review, 2(3). https://doi.org/10.62019/y8e0gc94