The Effectiveness of Health Education Intervention in Enhancing Personal Protective Equipment Use

Summary

This study is testing whether a health education program can help commercial motorcycle riders and passengers in the Limbe and Tiko Health Districts of Cameroon improve their use of safety equipment. These include items like helmets, reflective jackets, and other materials that help riders and passengers be more visible and protected on the road.

People who ride or travel on motorcycles are at high risk for road injuries, especially when visibility is low. Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and visibility materials can prevent many of these injuries, but many riders do not use them regularly.

The study involves educating riders and passengers through group sessions and follow-up messages about the importance of safety gear. We will compare the use of PPE and visibility materials before and after the health education intervention to see if it made a difference.

Adults aged 18 and older who ride or travel on motorcycles in Limbe or Tiko are eligible to participate. The study will last several months and does not involve any drugs or medical procedures. There is no known risk to participants.

The results will help guide future road safety programs in Cameroon and other similar settings

Conditions

• Road Traffic Injury Prevention, Motorcycle Safety, Personal Protective Equipment Use, Visibility Materials, Injury Prevention Education, Health Behavior Change

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Health education intervention to improve knowledge and uptake of personal protective equipment and visibility materials among commercial motorcycle riders and passengers

This intervention consists of a structured health education program targeting commercial motorcycle riders and passengers in the Limbe Health District. It includes interactive group sessions focused on the importance, benefits, and correct use of personal protective equipment (helmets, reflective jackets) and visibility materials (reflective strips, lights). Educational materials such as leaflets and posters are distributed to reinforce learning. Additionally, participants receive follow-up SMS reminders to encourage consistent and proper use of protective gear. The goal is to increase awareness and uptake of safety measures to reduce road traffic injuries. This intervention is community-based and tailored to the local context in Cameroon.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of California, Los Angeles

  collaborator OTHER

• University of California, Berkeley

  collaborator OTHER

• Fogarty International Center of the National Institute of Health

  collaborator NIH

• University of Buea

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Chrisantus Eweh Ukah, PhD Fellow · UNIVERSITY OF BUEA, Cameroon

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-05-15

Primary Completion

2025-08-30

Completion

2025-09-20

Countries

• Cameroon

Study Locations