Behavioral and psychosocial correlates of road traffic injuries: evidence from a nationwide study on Chinese undergraduates. (17th August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wu, Dan; Yang, Tingzhong; Yang, Xiaozhao Yousef; Hoe, Connie H.; Peng, Sihui; Yu, Lingwei
• Is Part Of: Traffic injury prevention. Volume 21:Number 6(2020)
• Page Start: 375
• Page End: 381
• Publication Date: 2020-08-17
• Subjects: Road traffic injuries -- behavioral factors -- perceived stress -- psychological distress -- Chinese university students; Traffic safety -- Periodicals; Traffic accidents -- Periodicals; Wounds and injuries -- Prevention -- Periodicals; 363.125
• DOI: 10.1080/15389588.2020.1770236
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1538-9588

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and behavioral and psychosocial correlates of road traffic injuries (RTIs) among Chinese university students. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among fifty universities in China, using a multi-stage sampling methodology. The participants were asked to report their RTIs in the past year. The chi-square test and binary logistic regression analysis were utilized to identify factors associated with RTIs, including specific types of RTIs. Results: Among the 11, 770 participants, a total of 1, 482 university students reported at least one RTI yielding an overall weighted injury prevalence of 12.96% over the past year. Estimated weighted prevalence by type was 6.10%, 5.94%, 5.12%, and 5.35% for automobile (car, truck, or bus), bicycle, motorcycle, and pedestrian injuries, respectively. Logistic regression analysis found that students who studied at low-level universities, smoked cigarettes, drank alcohol, slept less than 7 hours, went to bed after 12:00 am, or students with psychological distress were more likely to experience overall and four types of RTIs. Students who studied in the eastern universities had a higher likelihood of automobile injury, motorcycle injury and pedestrian injury than those who studied in western universities. Conclusions: Several critical factors associated with RTIs were identified. These findings have implications for the design and implementation of RTI prevention and interventions programs targeted at university students.