Hidden Hazards of Head Scarves

Among young women in Bangladesh, scarves called ornas are fashionable—and deadly.
 
When the women hop in electric rickshaws, the trailing fabric can get caught in the spinning motor behind the driver and cause severe neck injuries.
 
Most drivers and passengers have no idea of the risk, as physical therapist Anna Tupetz, a Duke Global Health Institute student, discovered working with a dozen of the survivors.

She’s calling on the government and other stakeholders to address scarf injuries as a systemic issue—through steps including denying road permits for Easy Bikes, educating doctors and nurses about emergency management, and making sure patients are properly referred following cervical cord injuries.

Duke Global Health Institute