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Abstract
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Background: Injuries associated with road traffic accidents is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in our environment. Despite the enactment of laws mandating the use of car seatbelts by motorists, expected behavioral change has not been achieved to effectively influence occurrences of these accidents. This study aims to determine the perception, attitude and compliance to the use of car seatbelts amongst workers in a teaching hospital in south western Nigeria.
Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study of 386 workers of LAUTECH Teaching Hospital Osogbo using stratified sampling technique. Research instruments employed were semi structured; self administered pre tested questionnaires and data analyzed using the SPSS software version 13.0.
Results: Mean age of respondents was 34 (+ 1.4) years. One hundred and ninety five (50.5%) of the respondents were females, 226 (58.5%) were married, 360(93.3%) had tertiary education, 329(85.2%) drives at least a vehicle while 218(56.5%) of them often travel outside their locality. Three hundred and one (78.0%) strongly agreed that use of seatbelt provides safety in road traffic crashes, 291(75.4%) agreed that seatbelt should be used regularly, 257(66.6%) strongly agreed that seatbelt enforcement will improve usage while 224 (58.0%) strongly agreed that people should be fined for non-usage of seatbelt. Compliance with the use of seatbelt showed 360 respondents (93.3%) using seatbelt for safety reasons. Other reasons for compliance include to avoid sanctions by police 199(52.4%) and FRSC officials 222(57.5%). Common reasons for non compliance include feeling of discomfort 45(11.7%), difficulty with fastening or unlocking the seatbelt 9(2.3%) and sense of insecurity with seatbelt use among 12(3.1%) of respondents. Health care workers with a tertiary education and age above 30 years are twice fold more likely to use seat belts for safety reasons compared to the much younger and less educated respondents (OR=0.06, and p=0.019).
Conclusion: Compliance with the use of seatbelt from the study is high coupled with fair perception and good attitude towards its proven and effective methods of reducing morbidity and mortality. To compliment efforts of government and non governmental agencies towards this drive, health workers should be adequately informed about the importance of seatbelt in order to reach out to the public at large. |