Prevalence of behavioural risk factors for road-traffic injuries among the Iranian population: findings from STEPs 2016. (6th March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fathollahi, Soraya; Saeedi Moghaddam, Sahar; Rezaei, Nazila; Jafari, Ayyoob; Peykari, Niloofar; Haghshenas, Rosa; Shams-Beyranvand, Mehran; Damerchilu, Bahman; Mehregan, Ashkan; Khezrian, Maryam; Hasan, Milad; Momen Nia Rankohi, Ezzatollah; Darman, Mahboobeh; Moghisi, Alireza; Farzadfar, Farshad
• Is Part Of: International journal of epidemiology. Volume 48:Number 4(2019)
• Page Start: 1187
• Page End: 1196
• Publication Date: 2019-03-06
• Subjects: Motor vehicles -- seatbelt use -- helmet use -- human risk factors -- self-reported; Epidemiology -- Periodicals; 614.4
• DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyz021
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0300-5771

Abstract

Abstract: Background: To achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.6 in Iran, we need to have a comprehensive understanding of the distribution of risky behaviours regarding road-traffic injuries at national and sub-national levels. Little is known about the road-use vulnerability patterns of road-traffic injuries in Iran. The aim of this study is to describe the prevalence of self-reported human risk factors in road-traffic injuries using the findings from a large-scale cross-sectional study based on the World Health Organization's stepwise approach to surveillance of non-communicable diseases (STEPs). Methods: A cross-sectional survey study in 2016 assessed the road-use pattern and prevalence of risky behaviours of people more than 18 years old. In this study, we planned to recruit 31 050 individuals as a representative sample at national and provincial levels. In practice, 30 541 individuals (3105 clusters) from urban and rural areas of Iran were selected. Basic socio-demographic data, major behavioural risk factors such as seatbelt and helmet non-compliance, drunk driving and occupant in a car with a drunk driver were assessed through baseline interviews gathered through an Android tablet-based questionnaire. Results: The overall prevalence of seatbelt and helmet compliance was 75.2% (95% confidence interval: 74.7–75.7) and 13.9% (13.4–14.5), respectively, at the national level. The prevalence of risk-taking behaviours such as drink driving was 0.5% (0.4–0.6) and for being an occupant in a car with a drunk driver was 3.5% (3.2–3.8). At the provincial level, the highest age-standardized prevalence of seatbelt compliance (89.6%) was almost 1.5 times higher than the lowest provincial prevalence (58.5%). In 63% of provinces, the lowest prevalence of seatbelt compliance was observed among people aged 18–24 years old. Conclusions: In Iran, existing disease-prevention and health-promotion programmes should be expanded to target vulnerable subgroups that have more prevalent human risk factors for road-traffic injuries. Further research is required to investigate the context-specific proximal human risk factors and vulnerability patterns in Iran.