Risk and Vulnerability Differences Across the European Union Based on an Accidental-Injury Proneness Index

Abstract

Injuries from accidents are an important public health problem in Europe. This study provides a diagnosis of this social problem, examining whether differences in accident rates and injury rates between European countries can be explained in terms of a collective propensity or tendency to suffer accidental injury. Identifying the social factors that can affect the predisposition in a country of its population to suffer accidents, we distinguish between those that act to increase the probability of accidents—factors connected to voluntary risk-taking—, and those that operate aggravating their consequences—vulnerability factors connected to social position. To examine variability, we have calculated an Accidental-Injury Proneness Index (AIPI), which measures both the incidence and seriousness of accidents. In addition, as the propensity to suffer accidental injury varies significantly by gender and age, we have calculated scores on the index for different age groups and by sex for all 28 countries participating in the European Health Interview Survey, using 2014 data. To understand the logic underlying the data and develop a typology of countries based on the propensity for accidental injury, we carry out a principal component analysis, followed by a two-step cluster analysis. The two dimensions obtained from the analysis are: motives for risk taking and grounds for vulnerability. The results confirm the hypothesis that connects reflexive modernity with the search for emotion through risk-taking by carrying out activities motivated by “being happy”, which in empirical terms translate into high accident rates.