Association between road safety habits and risky health behaviours in Latvian adult population

¹ Riga Stradins University, Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Riga, Latvia
² Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Department of Research and Health Statistics, Riga, Latvia

^* Corresponding author: aija.bukova@rsu.lv

Abstract

The study examined the road safety habits of the adult population of Latvia in relation to risky health behaviours (smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, no regular health check-ups at the family doctor). Data of Health Behaviour among the Latvian Adult Population for five consecutive surveys for the years 2010–2018 were analysed. Results: The use of seat belts has increased slightly – from 93.5% to 95.6% in the front seat of the vehicle, from 52.4% to 56.3% in the rear seat of the vehicle (p < 0,001). Of the 10,731 respondents, 30.8% (N = 3309; 95% CI 30.0–31.7) were daily smokers, 14.8% (N = 1593; 95% CI 14.2–15.5) had excessive alcohol consumption habits, 25.9% (N = 2779; 95% CI 25.1–26.7) had not visited their family doctor during the last year. Higher odds for seat belt use were observed among respondents without excessive alcohol consumption (OR = 2.1), non-smokers (OR = 1.5–1.8), and those, who had visited their family doctor last year (OR = 1.2–1.3). Multivariate regression analysis showed risky behaviour is an independent factor associated with road safety habits.