Seat-belt use and non-use in adults in Slovenia

To identify population groups at risk of non-use of seat belts in front and rear seats in order to enable more focused planning of preventive actions in Slovenia.

The national health behaviour survey of 15,379 adults aged 25-64, carried out in 2001; response rate 64%; 9043 questionnaires eligible for analysis. The observed outcomes: non-use of seat belts in the front and rear seats. Logistic regression was used for relating gender, age, education level, socio-economic factors and geographical region to the observed outcomes.

Non-use of seat belts in the front seats: 5.7%; the highest odds: males (OR(males vs. females)= 1.89, p < 0.001), aged 25-29 (OR(25-29 vs. 50-59) = 2.68, p < 0.001), the lowest education level (OR(uncompleted primary vs. university education) = 2.77, p = 0.001), upper social class (OR(upper vs. lower) = 3.54, p = 0.014), western Slovenia (OR(western vs. eastern) = 1.31, p = 0.027). Non-use of seat belts in the rear seats: 65.2%; the highest odds: aged 25-29 (OR(25-29 vs. 6-64) = 2.83, p < 0.001), vocational (OR(vocational vs. university education) = 1.36, p = 0.005) and secondary education level (OR(secondary vs. university education) = 1.36, p = 0.003), western Slovenia (OR(western vs. eastern) = 1.37, p < 0.001).

Both observed outcomes are a problem particularly in younger age groups with secondary education level or lower, living in western Slovenia; non-use of seat belts in the front seats also in males and in upper social class.