ARTICLE INFO

Article Type

Original Research

Authors

Rahimi   T. (1)
Shojaei   S. (*)






(*) Hospital Research Development Committee, Nekoei-Hedayati-Forghani Hospital, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran
(1) Department of Health Education and Promotion, Faculty of Health, Shahid Sadoughi Yazd University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran

Correspondence

Address: Hospital Research Development Committee, Nekoei-Hedayati-Forghani Hospital, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Ayatollah Taleghani Street, Qom, Iran
Phone: +98 (25) 31331602
Fax: +98 (25) 31331622
sarallahshojaei@gmail.com

Article History

Received:  September  27, 2018
Accepted:  November 11, 2018
ePublished:  December 31, 2018

BRIEF TEXT


Using helmets in motorcycle riders plays an important role in preventing injury to the head and neck.

… [1-4]. According to evidences, injuries to the head and neck are the main causes of death for motorcyclists, although they can be easily prevented [5]. Motorcycle riders who do not wear helmets are 3 to 4 times more likely to die than others [6, 7]. In the Sreedharan et al. study, only 34% of the motorcyclists used helmets [8]. In addition, Oruogi et al. reported that 72.2% of the motorcycle riders in Khomein city do not wear helmets [9]. … [10-13]. Using helmets by motorcyclists can be encouraged by motivation like other behavioral changes [14].

The aim of this study was to measure the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) constructs in using helmets by motorcycle riders in Qom, Iran.

This research is a cross-sectional study.

This research was done on motorcyclists in Qom in 2017.

Sampling was done using relative classification method. Accordingly, one gas station was randomly selected from eight districts of the Qom city and, and the referred motorcyclists (same number from each station) to the stations were randomly selected and entered the study. The sample size was calculated 296 subjects using standard deviation of a preliminary study with a confidence interval of 95%, a standard deviation of 0.44, and a test accuracy of 0.05, based on the Cochran formula. It was finally considered 326 subjects due to the probability of 10% reduction in the number of subjects and the lack of cooperation. The samples who lived in Qom with the ability to read and write were entered the study voluntarily and the consent to participate was also obtained from the subjects.

A researcher-made questionnaire was used for data collection by searching through the reputable scientific databases and studying similar research articles. The questionnaire consisted of two parts: 1) demographic characteristics including 8 questions: age, marital status, occupation, level of education, driving license for riding motorcycle, history of riding motorcycle, history of being fined, and history of previous accidents; 2) motorcycle riders performance on using helmets constructs of PMT including 45 questions: perceived vulnerability (9 questions), perceived severity (5 questions), perceived self-efficacy (9 questions), response costs (10 questions), response efficacy (5 questions), perceived rewards (3 questions), and the fear (4 questions). The questions of the constructs are scored from 1 to 5 on a 5-point Likert scale (from totally disagree to totally agree). Using helmet was asked from the motorcycle riders on a 1-4-point scale (never to always). The validity of the questionnaire was determined through content validity and based on the experts’ opinion. Cronbach's alpha for PMT was obtained 0.69-0.87. The researcher referred to the considered stations for sampling, and the officials of the gas station were given the introduction letter from the research deputy and they were informed about the research objectives and asked for cooperation. The motorcyclists were also informed about the research objectives and the consent to participate in the research was obtained from the subjects. The motorcyclists were assured about the confidentiality of data and the questionnaires were distributed among the subjects. 20 minutes was considered to answer the questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS 18. After checking the normality of data, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, one-way ANOVA and independent t-test were used to assess the performance of motorcyclists and demographic variables. In addition, Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine the relationship between PMT and using helmet behavior in motorcyclists, and linear regression analysis was used to determine the most important predictors of PMT and using helmet behavior in motorcycle riders in Qom.

The mean age of the participants in the study was 32.79±11.95 years. Most motorcyclists (37.4%) aged 20-29 years and 61.3% were married. 36.2% had university education. 160 subjects (49.1%) had non-governmental occupation and 55.8% had monthly salaries of less than one million tomans. 174 participants (54%) did not have a driving license for riding motorcycle. 48.2% of the participants had a history of being fined while riding a motorcycle and 53.1% of them had an accident at least once while riding (Table 1).There was a significant positive correlation between using helmet and perceived severity, self-efficacy, response efficacy, the fear, and protection motivation, and a significant negative correlation with perceived vulnerability, response costs, and perceived rewards (Table 2). Perceived severity (P = 0.12, β=0.12), Self-efficacy (P = 0.001, β=0.55), response efficacy (P = 0.013, β=0.12), and perceived rewards (P=0.037, β=-0.09) were able to predict 50% of changes in protection motivation in motorcyclists in Qom city (F=46.14, P>0.001). Protective motivation (P=0.037, β=-0.09), alone explained 21% of changes in using helmet in motorcyclists in Qom city (F=86.90, P>0.001).

… [15-20]. According to the findings of this research, self-efficacy as the most important predictor of protection motivation could predict 55% of changes related to protection motivation, which is consistent with the results of other studies [11, 21, 22]. … [23, 24]. Other studies also show that those who use helmet believe in the potential benefits of using helmets more than others. In other studies, perceived rewards have been introduced as the strongest predictor of using helmet [11, 25]. … [26-28].

Paying attention to the demographic variables along with structural variables can lead to an increase in the success of drivers' health promotion interventions and should be considered to plan for their behavior modification.

None declared.

Protection motivation theory can be used as a framework for assessing factors affecting using or not using helmets by motorcycle riders.

The authors thank the deputy of research and technology of the Qom University of Medical Sciences and the motorcycle riders from Qom city who helped us with our research.

None declared.

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Qom University of Medical Sciences (ethical code: MUQ.REC.1396.32).

This article has been supported by the Deputy of Research and Technology of the Qom University of Medical Sciences.

TABLES and CHARTS

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