Equestrian Helmet Use and Attitudes Among Rural Iowa Adolescents

BACKGROUND This study aimed to assess equestrian helmet use and attitudes among rural adolescents. METHODS A convenience sample of 2022 Iowa FFA (formerly Future Farmers of America) Leadership Conference attendees completed an anonymous survey. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS 1,331 rural adolescents 13-18 years of age participated. One-fourth (26%) of respondent’s households owned a horse. Overall, 45% had ridden a horse in the past year. Equestrian helmet use was: 13% always: 10% mostly, 11% sometimes, 17% rarely, and 50% never. Females were nearly twice as likely to wear helmets as males. Helmet importance (rated 1-10, 10 highest) rated a mean of 5.8, lower than for dirt bikes or motorcycles. Non-riders and infrequent riders rated helmets as being more important than frequent riders (both p<0.001). Only 22% supported equestrian helmet use laws. Adolescents who had participated in activities mandating equestrian helmet rated helmet use as more important (p<0.001), were more than twice as likely to support laws requiring helmet use and were four times more likely to wear helmets than peers who had not experienced such requirements. CONCLUSIONS Half of study rural adolescents never wore equestrian helmets. However, those who had participated in an activity requiring helmets had higher helmet use and ratings of helmet importance. Mandating helmet use at training centers, competitions, club events and group rides may help increase general equestrian helmet use. Education and other interventions to help change the safety culture surrounding equestrian helmet use are needed in rural areas.