Quality-Adjusted Life-Years and Helmet Use among Motorcyclists Sustaining Head Injuries
Resource
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH v.100 n.1 pp.165-170
Journal
American Journal of Public Health
Pages
165-170
Date Issued
2010
Date
2010
Author(s)
LEE, HSIN-YI
CHEN, YEH-HSIN
CHIU, WEN-TA
HWANG, JING-SHIANG
WANG, JUNG-DER
Abstract
We estimated loss of quality-adjusted life expectancy (GALE) among motorcyclists in Taiwan who sustained head injuries while wearing or not wearing a helmet. Methods. Patients with head injuries (n=3328) were grouped into categories representing good and poor outcomes (moderate disability or death) at discharge. After linkage with the National Mortality Registry, survival functions were determined and extrapolated over a 50-year period on the basis of the survival ratio between patients and age- and gender-matched reference populations, as calculated from available Taiwan vital statistics. Survival functions were then multiplied by scores from quality-of-life measures. Results. Percentages of good and poor outcomes were 87.2% and 12.8%, respectively , in the helmeted group and 66.4% and 33.6% in the nonhelmeted group. The mean GALE for helmeted motorcyclists, calculated by weighting percentages of good and poor outcomes, was 31.7 quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), with an average loss of 5.8 QALYs. For nonhelmeted motorcyclists , the mean GALE was 25.9 QALYs, with a loss of 10.7 QALYs. Conclusions. Helmet use could save approximately 5 QALYs among motorcyclists sustaining head injuries. Future cost- effectiveness analysis can calculate the incremental cost- effectiveness ratio for regulation of helmet use.
SDGs
Other Subjects
adult; article; cohort analysis; cross-sectional study; female; head injury; helmet; human; interview; Kaplan Meier method; length of stay; male; mortality; motorcycle; quality adjusted life year; quality of life; questionnaire; reference value; register; statistics; Taiwan; traffic accident; treatment outcome; utilization review; Accidents, Traffic; Adult; Cohort Studies; Craniocerebral Trauma; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Head Protective Devices; Humans; Interviews as Topic; Kaplan-Meiers Estimate; Length of Stay; Male; Motorcycles; Quality of Life; Quality-Adjusted Life Years; Questionnaires; Reference Values; Registries; Taiwan; Treatment Outcome
Type
journal article