Promoting children's use of bicycle helmets

Riding a bicycle provides an excellent opportunity for incorporating exercise into one's lifestyle. However, if the individual does not take responsibility for wearing a helmet the outcome can be tragic. Limited information has been presented in the nursing literature regarding nurses' role in safety promotion and, in particular, promoting the use of bicycle helmets. Existing knowledge related to children's risk of injury, use of bicycle helmets, strategies developed to encourage use, and evaluation data is presented within the context of the Health Promotion Model ( Pender, 1987. Suggestions for nurse practitioners' role are derived from this review.