To What Extent Do Attitudes Regarding Ski Helmets Change After a Period of Utilization?

Background: Common reasons reported for helmet non-use are impaired hearing and impaired vision and an increasing level of risk taking. Therefore, health communication programmes should be instituted to get non-helmeted skiers and snowboarders to try out helmets to eliminate their potential prejudices. Aim: to evaluate whether and to what extent attitudes regarding ski helmets change after a period of utilization. Methods: Subjects who wanted to borrow a ski helmet in a ski rental shop had to rate 14 attitudes about ski helmets using a 5-point Likert scale two times (1) before they borrow a helmet and (2) after the return of the helmet. Results: A total of 231 (43.7% females) subjects with a mean age of 35.2 +/- 14.3 years participated. A ski helmet was used never before, one time, and more times by 21.2, 16.7, and 62.1%, respectively. There was a significant increase after borrowing in the agreement that all winter sport participants should wear a ski helmet (p = .003), and that a ski helmet damages the hairstyle (p = .021) while there was a decreasing agreement that a ski helmet looks good/is stylish (p = .030). According to a factor analysis, attitudes about ski helmets clustered around two major dimensions - “safety awareness/comfort” and “subjective disadvantages” explaining 42-43% of the overall variance. A significant increase in the dimension “safety awareness/comfort” from pre- 31.8 5.9 to post-borrowing 32.6 5.9 (p < .001) was found while the dimension “subjective disadvantages” did not significantly change (pre: 18.6 4.3 vs. post: 19.1 4.3, p = .091). Regarding subgroup analysis with these two dimensions, previous helmet use (never before vs. one time vs. more times) did not show significant differences in the change in attitudes. Conclusion: The ski helmet-related dimension “safety awareness/comfort” significantly increased after a period of utilization, irrespective of previous helmet use.(VLID)3080979Version of recor