Predictors of Seat-Belt Use among Bus Passengers in Ghana: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Health Belief Model

• Published in: Journal of community health 2021-10, Vol.46 (5), p.992-999
• Main Authors: Okyere, Paul, Agyei-Baffour, Peter, Harris, Muriel Jean, Mock, Charles, Donkor, Peter, Yankson, Isaac Kofi, Owusu-Dabo, Ellis
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Beliefs; Buses; Community and Environmental Psychology; Design factors; Ethics; Health Promotion and Disease Prevention; Injury prevention; Intention; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Original Paper; Passenger safety; Seat belts; Self report; Statistical Data; Theory of planned behavior; Traffic accidents & safety; Traffic safety
• ISSN: 0094-5145; 1573-3610
• DOI: 10.1007/s10900-021-00980-7

Background Seat-belt use is effective in preventing traffic fatalities and injuries yet its use is not universal. This study sought to determine the predictors of self-reported seat-belt use among bus passengers in Ghana based on the theory of planned behaviour and health belief model. Methods A quantitative cross-sectional study design with 633 randomly selected intercity bus passengers was conducted using a structured questionnaire in Kumasi, Ghana. The resulting data were analysed using SPSS version 23.0. Ordinal regression was employed to determine the predictors of self-reported seat-belt use. Results Majority of the respondents were male (61.5%) with a mean age of 32.2 (SD = 11.6). A third (33.0%) reported that they always wear their seat-belt as bus passengers. The results indicated that intention (OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.21–1.84, p = 0.001), subjective norm (OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.15–2.13, p = 0.004) and perceived behavioural control (OR = 1.53; 95% CI = 1.21–1.92, p = 0.001) variables from the theory of planned behaviour were significant independent predictors of seat-belt use. Among the health belief model variables, perceived severity (OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.15–2.16, p = 0.005) and perceived barriers (OR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.39–0.67, p = 0.001) were the only significant independent predictors of self-reported seat-belt use. Conclusion The findings suggest that intention, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control, perceived severity and perceived barriers play an important role in determining bus passengers’ seat-belt use behaviour. Road safety programmes to increase seat-belt use will gain from giving serious attention to these factors in the design and implementation of such programmes.