Factors Associated with Seatbelt, Helmet, and Child Safety Seat Use in a Spanish High-Risk Injury Area

Abstract

Focus of motor vehicle crashes death prevention is actually placed on preinjury period. The purpose of this study was to estimate predictors of using seatbelts, helmet and children safety seats. Data from a cross-sectional survey was analyzed. The behaviors were explored as dichotomous variables. Multivariate logistic regression models are proposed to predict them. The educational level and community size measured by number of inhabitants were directly associated with all the behaviors studied. Females were more likely than males to use seatbelts and less likely to ride a motorcycle. Seatbelt and helmet use increased with age. Those exposed to both traffic in the city and on the road were more likely to use seatbelt and helmet than those only exposed in the city. Other variables included in any of the models were: being married or living with a partner, health-related variables as smoking habit, wealth-related variables as home ownership, and an ecological measure of wealth that is the average family income of the community. Protective device use is associated with sociodemographic, health, and wealth-related variables, and type of exposure to traffic. There are also ecological variables associated with the behaviors studied. These findings should be helpful for planning safer habits promotion programs. Further research, from the discourse analysis of people with different risk profile, should be performed to improve the understanding of the use of protective devices.