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Knowledge and Behaviour of the Medical Services Department of Armed Forces Employees toward Seat Belt Use, Riyadh, 2007

Article Info

Authors
Volume: 15
Year: 2008
Month: July
Issue: 3
Pages: 21, 23
Reference: Al-Honazil I., Al-Mazroa M., Alhamdan N., .Saudi Epidemiology Bulletin. 2008;15(3):21, 23.
Road Traffic Accidents (RTA) represent a major social and economic problem worldwide. Car seat belt use is one of the effective procedures that secure safety during driving. This cross-sectional study was carried out among workers of the medical services department (MSD) of the Armed Forces, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to assess their knowledge and behaviour towards use of car seat belts while driving, and investigate factors influencing its use.
The study included 250 participants, of whom 66.4% were military personnel and 33.6% civilian; 48% were between 18-30 years of age, most were married (74%), and 42% had secondary school education.
Seat belt use was reported by 62.4% of participants, with almost equal frequency between military and civilian personnel (62.7% and 61.9% respectively). Use of the seat belt was reported to increase from 49.3% to 97.4% after legislation. Reasons for using the seat belt included being convinced about its importance (38.5%), compliance with regulations (38.5%), and its being a civilized behaviour (23.1%).
Eighty five percent of participants were strongly convinced of the importance of seat belt use, however almost half reported difficulties while using it, such as restriction of movement (29.5%) and anxiety (20.5%).
Participants used their seat belts more frequently while driving their cars inside the city rather than on highways (89.1% and 85.2%, respectively).
Compliance with fasting car seat belts significantly increased with level of education (p-value = 0.0001). Compliance also increased with age but was not statistically significant.
Over a third of study participants had been involved in RTAs (35.2%), 53.4% of whom reported having been in at least one RTA. Of those, 38.6% had been injured and 33% had been admitted into hospital. Almost half of them (48.5%) reported not fastening the seat belt at the time. High speed was reported as the main cause of the RTA (63.6%).
Regarding knowledge of the effects of using the seatbelts, 60.3% stated reduction of disabilities caused by RTA, 25% reduction of the frequency of RTA (25%), 11.5% thought it had no effect on the rate of injuries and disabilities, and 3.2% didn't know.

Editorial note:

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 1.2 million people are killed and 50 million injured in road-traffic crashes worldwide, costing the global community about US $518 billion each year. RTA increase death and disability rates and is the second cause of death after infectious diseases, especially among younger age groups.1

The WHO international report on the protection from causalities resulting from traffic accidents (2004) states that use of the seat belt could diminish deaths resulting from traffic accidents by rates between 25% and 50%.2
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has witnessed economic prosperity and development in all sectors, including transportation, in the last three decades. Part of the side effects of this growth is manifested in traffic problems, including RTAs. Studies indicate that the death rate resulting from traffic accidents comes as the second cause of death for all age groups.3
This study showed that 62% of participants used the seat belt, which is much lower than required. This finding is also lower than previous reports.4 Compliance to seat belt use was related to both age and educational level.
One third of participants in this study had been previously involved in a RTA, with speeding reported as the main reason (63%). This confirms the findings of previous studies reporting that up to two-thirds of RTAs are related to speeding.4,5
Most study participants were strongly convinced of the importance of using the seat belt and its impact on reduction of injuries and disabilities. Use of the seat belt was found to increase after legislation, which is similar to findings of other studies in the Kingdom.5,6
It was recommended to enforce seat belt use with implementation of road traffic regulations. Drivers of younger ages should be educated to improve their attitude toward using the seat belt and speeding. Traffic laws against speeding should be rigorously implemented.
References:

1. Preventing Road Traffic Injury: a public health perspective for Europe. Copenhagen, World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, 2004.

2. WHO, International report on protection from Road Traffic Accident injuries. 2004 p. 34, Geneva.

3. Tukhi MH. Road traffic accidents: Statistics and data comparing the Gulf countries and the Riyadh area. SMJ, 1990; 1:1-3.

4. Abahussein N, El-Zobeir AG. Road Traffic knowledge and behavior of drivers in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. East Med Hlth J 2007; 13(2): 364-375.

5. Al-Khaldi YM. Attitude and practice towards road Traffic regulations among students of Health Sciences College in Aseer region. J Fam Com Med. 2006; 13(3): 109-113.

6. Ansari S, et al. Causes and effects of road traffic accidents in Saudi Arabia. Public health, 2000, 114:37-9.

Table 1: History of RTA exposure by age groups among MSD employees,Riyadh, 2007 (n = 250)
Age groups
Previous RTA
No Previous RTA
Total
Chi square
P-value
18-30
35 (29.2%)
85 (70.8%)
120 (48.0%)
7.25
0.06
31-40
30 (35.3%)
55 (64.7%)
85 (34.0%)
41-55
21 (50%)
21 (50%)
42 (16.8%)
> 55
2 (66.7%)
1 (33.3%)
3 (1.2%)
Total
88 (35.2%)
162 (64.8%)
250 (100%)
Table 2: Frequency of injury in previous RTA by seat belt use among MSD employees, Riyadh, 2007.
Seat Belt Use
Injured in
Previous RTA
Not Injured in Previous RTA
Total
Chi square
p-
Fastened Seat Belt
18 (32.7)
37 (67.3)
55 (62.5)
2.16
NS
Did not fasten seat belt
16 (48.5)
17 (51.5)
33 (37.5)
Total
34 (38.6)
54 (61.4)
88 (100)
دراسة حول معارف وسلوك العاملين بالخدمات الطبية للقوات المسلحة تجاه استخدام حزام الأمان.

شهدت المملكة العربية السعودية خلال العقود الثلاثة الماضية ازدهاراً اقتصادياً ونمواً ملموساً في جميع القطاعات ومنها قطاع النقل والمواصلات، الذي انعكس في ازدياد حركة المرور. وكان لهذا الازدياد جوانب سلبية تمثلت في المشكلات المرورية ومنها حوادث السيارات. و تشير الدراسات إلى أن معدل الوفيات الناجمة عن حوادث المرور تأتي في المرتبة الثانية بعد الوفيات الناجمة عن الأمراض السارية. ويعتبر حزام الأمان أحد الإجراءات الفعالة التي تكفل الأمان أثناء القيادة. فقد ذكر في التقرير العالمي عن الوقاية من الإصابات الناجمة عن حوادث المرور الصادر عن منظمة الصحة العالمية لعام 2004م أن فرض استخدام حزام الأمان يمكن أن يقلل من الوفيات الناجمة عن حوادث المرور بنسب تتراوح بين 25 و 50%. وأشارت دراسة أجريت في المملكة العربية السعودية إلى أن جميع المصابين في حوادث المرور في عينة الدراسة لم يكونوا مرتدين لحزام الأمان.

كان الهدف من هذه الدراسة المقطعية هو تقييم معارف وسلوك العاملين في الخدمات الطبية للقوات المسلحة تجاه استخدام حزام الامان.

بلغ عدد الموظفين الذين شاركوا في هذه الدراسة 250 شخصاً، منهم 66.4% عسكريين و 33.6% مدنيين. حوالي نصف المشاركين في عينة الدراسة (48%) كانوا من الفئة العمرية 18-30 سنة، 74% منهم متزوجون، و 42% يحملون شهادة الثانوية العامة.

أوضحت الدراسة أن 62.4% يستخدمون حزام الأمان وتقريباً بنفس النسبة بين العسكريين والمدنيين. و قد أفادت الدراسة ان إلزامية استخدام حزام الأمان قد أدت إلى ارتفاع ربط الحزام من 49% إلى 97%.

أفاد ثلث المشاركين بأنهم قد تعرضوا لحادث مروري سابق، منهم 38% قد تعرضوا للإصابة خلال هذه الحوادث، وأن 33% منهم قد تم تنويمهم بالمستشفى. كانت السرعة الزائدة السبب الرئيسي لمعظم هذه الحوادث. وجدت الدراسة أن من بين الذين تعرضوا لإصابات، 16% لم يكونوا رابطي الحزام أثناء القيادة.

أظهرت الدراسة أن 85% من المشاركين مقتنعين بأهمية ربط حزام الأمان، وان 60% لديهم معرفة عن أهمية ربط حزام الأمان في تقليل الإعاقات الناتجة عن حوادث الطرق.

أكدت الدراسة أهمية ربط حزام الأمان في تقليل الإصابات والإعاقات الناتجة عن حوادث الطرق، مما يؤكد الاهتمام باستمرار تكثيف التوعية الصحية وتطبيق أنظمة المرور بصفة مستمرة.