Health-risk behaviors related to road safety among adolescent students.

BACKGROUND

Injuries are now a major cause of death and disability among the adolescents in the world. Road accidents are the main cause of death of young men worldwide.

OBJECTIVE

To study health-risk behavior related to road safety amongst adolescent students in south Delhi and its epidemiological correlates.

STUDY

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Three schools and two colleges in south Delhi.

PARTICIPANTS

Five hundred fifty adolescent students aged 14-19 years selected by cluster sampling.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Proportions, Chi-square test, multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

More than half (52.4%) reported 'not always' wearing a seat belt. About 72.1% (300) of two-wheeler riders reported 'not always' and 23.3% (97) reported 'never' wearing a helmet. Nearly 20% (91) students rode with a driver who had alcohol before driving, and 37.3% (185) subjects had driven with a driver not possessing a driving license, in the past 30 days. Such 'road-hazard' behaviors were found to be significantly more in males and in lower-age groups. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the significant correlates of such behaviors were gender of the respondent and living status of the parents. Almost 77.5% (426) of the respondents were 'at risk' as far as behaviors related to safety on roads are concerned.

CONCLUSION

The results should evoke earnest responses from the government, policy makers and all personnel concerned with adolescent welfare on how best to reduce the extent of this preventable problem.