Bicycle helmet effectiveness in children: systematic qualitative review

In order to assess bicycle helmet effectiveness in preventing head injury i n children, we performed an international qualitative and systematic review using the criteria of the French Health Accreditation and Evaluation Natio nal Agency (ANAES) developed for recommendations in clinical practice (form ulation of a question, judgment criteria, collecting references, quality an alysis, interpretation of results). Two hundred and thirty-four papers deal ing with the subject were identified through a MEDLINE search. Two hundred and fifteen of them were eliminated as they did not meet selected criteria. Four were eliminated because of language criteria. On the 14 meeting all s election criteria, five were judged satisfactory according to qualitative c riteria. All five conclude in favor of the effectiveness of the bicycle hel met even when taking bias into account. The real protection afforded by wea ring a bicycle helmet militates in favor of its habitual use. (C) 2001 Edit ions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.