Traffic risk perception, road safety attitudes, and behaviors among road users: a comparison of Turkey and Norway

ObjectiveThis study had two objectives: first, to test the effects of sociodemographic variables, and the effects of three key road safety skills (knowledge–risk perception–attitudes) on the use of passive safety elements (PSEs) among teenagers; and second, to assess the differential impact of the study variables on PSEs use from a gender-based perspective.Setting and participantsThis cross-sectional study was framed in the paradigm of primary care, and it involved students from several educational centres in Spain. A sample of 827 Spanish teenagers (52.4% females and 47.6% males) with a mean age of M=14.41–7 (12–19) years was used.ResultsThrough SEM modelling, we found that the use of PSEs is largely explained by psychosocial variables through the mediation of three road safety skills: risk perception (β=0.103***), rule knowledge (β=0.095*) and attitudes towards road safety (β=0.186***). Furthermore, multigroup analyses showed that, although most variables explain the use of PSEs among teenagers in a similar way, key gender-based differences exist in this regard.ConclusionsRoad safety skills have a significant effect on the use of PSEs among Spanish teenagers, and gender explains some differences in the mechanisms which predict them. Also, in the study we discuss the need for strengthening school-based interventions aimed at helping this vulnerable group of road users acquire and develop positive behavioural competences.

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The Effectiveness of Extension Communication on Improving Kentucky Consumers’ Food Safety Attitudes and Behaviors

Journal of the American Dietetic Association ◽

10.1016/j.jada.2006.05.314 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 106 (8) ◽

pp. A73

Author(s):

J.S. Kurzynske ◽

M.G. Roseman

Keyword(s):

Food Safety ◽

Safety Attitudes ◽

Attitudes And Behaviors ◽

And Behaviors

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Social media exposure, risk perception, preventive behaviors and attitudes during the COVID-19 epidemic in La Paz, Bolivia: A cross sectional study

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0245859 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. e0245859

Author(s):

Diana Reyna Zeballos Rivas ◽

Marinalda Lidia Lopez Jaldin ◽

Blanca Nina Canaviri ◽

Luisa Fabiola Portugal Escalante ◽

Angela M. C. Alanes Fernández ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Risk Perception ◽

Online Survey ◽

Media Exposure ◽

Exposure Risk ◽

Preventive Behaviors ◽

La Paz ◽

High Exposure ◽

Attitudes And Behaviors ◽

And Behaviors

Social media has an important role in diffusion of information, during COVID-19 pandemic it could help to promote preventive behaviors, however its role and the pathway is still unclear. Objective To investigate the association among social media exposure, risk perception, preventive behaviors, and attitudes toward the COVID-19 epidemic in Bolivia. Methods We launched an online survey in La Paz and El Alto, Bolivia, during April and May 2020. The questionnaire examined: Socio-demographic factors, Social media use, Risk Perception, Preventive behaviors, attitudes and the willingness to use a vaccine if it were available in the context of the COVID-19 epidemic. A logistic regression was used to evaluate factors associated with risk perception and a structural equation model (SEM) was performed to explore the pathway of the relationship among social media exposure, risk perception and preventive behaviors and attitudes. Results Among 886 participants, the most were young adults, between 18–25 years old (73.4%) and 577 (65.1%) were female. During the the week before the survey 387 (43.7%) reported be exposure to social media Covid-19 information almost always or always. Moreover 304 (34.3%) were categorized as with a high risk perception. The multivariable analyses show that being female (aOR = 1.5, CI 95% 1.1–2.1) and having high exposure to Covid-19 information on social media (aOR = 2.5, CI 95% 1.3–5.3) were associated with a higher risk perception for Covid-19. Furthermore, SEM results indicated that risk perception is associated with the adoption of preventive behaviors and attitudes (β = 0.605, p < 0.001) including the acceptance of a vaccine if one were available (β = 0.388, p < 0.001). Conclusion Social media exposure to COVID-19 information influences the adoption of preventive attitudes and behaviors through shaping risk perception. Understanding the role of social media during the pandemic could help policymakers and communicators to develop better communication strategies that enable the population to adopt appropriate attitudes and behaviors.

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