Jing-Zhen Yang1,2, Li-Ping Li3, Hong-Qian Wu4,5, Daniel McGehee5,6, Corinne Peek-Asa7,8. 1. The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Center for Injury Research and Policy, Columbus, OH, USA. 2. Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, the Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA. 3. Injury Prevention Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China. 4. Department of Biostatistics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA. 5. Injury Prevention Research Center and Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, 145 N. Riverside Drive S160 CPHB, Iowa City, Iowa, USA. 6. Human Factors and Vehicle Safety Research Division, University of Iowa Public Policy Center, Iowa City, Iowa, USA. 7. Injury Prevention Research Center and Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, 145 N. Riverside Drive S160 CPHB, Iowa City, Iowa, USA. corinne-peek-asa@uiowa.edu. 8. Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA. corinne-peek-asa@uiowa.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Few published studies have examined child passenger safety practices across countries. This study compared the prevalence and associated factors of child passenger restraint use among children, aged 0 to 17 in the state of Iowa in the United States, and the city of Shantou in China. METHODS: Child restraint use observations were conducted in Iowa and in Shantou in 2012, respectively, among child passengers. Observations in Iowa were conducted at randomly selected gas stations, while in Shantou observations were completed at randomly selected schools or medical clinics. Research observers approached the driver, observed restraint use, and collected brief survey data. RESULTS: A total of 3049 children from Iowa and 3333 children aged 0 to 17 years from Shantou were observed. For children aged 0 to 3 years, only 0.1% were compliantly restrained in Shantou as compared to 95.9% in Iowa. The proportion of children who were compliantly restrained in Shantou increased with age, but generally decreased with age in Iowa. In Shantou, 36.0% of children aged 0 to 3 were sitting in the front seat as compared to only 1.7% of children of the same age in Iowa. Driver seat belt use was significantly associated with child restraint in both Iowa and Shantou; the association was stronger in Iowa than Shantou for all age groups. CONCLUSIONS: A significantly higher prevalence of children who were not appropriately restrained was observed in Shantou than in Iowa. Our findings support the need of mandatory child safety restraint use legislation in China.
BACKGROUND: Few published studies have examined child passenger safety practices across countries. This study compared the prevalence and associated factors of child passenger restraint use among children, aged 0 to 17 in the state of Iowa in the United States, and the city of Shantou in China. METHODS:Child restraint use observations were conducted in Iowa and in Shantou in 2012, respectively, among child passengers. Observations in Iowa were conducted at randomly selected gas stations, while in Shantou observations were completed at randomly selected schools or medical clinics. Research observers approached the driver, observed restraint use, and collected brief survey data. RESULTS: A total of 3049 children from Iowa and 3333 children aged 0 to 17 years from Shantou were observed. For children aged 0 to 3 years, only 0.1% were compliantly restrained in Shantou as compared to 95.9% in Iowa. The proportion of children who were compliantly restrained in Shantou increased with age, but generally decreased with age in Iowa. In Shantou, 36.0% of children aged 0 to 3 were sitting in the front seat as compared to only 1.7% of children of the same age in Iowa. Driver seat belt use was significantly associated with child restraint in both Iowa and Shantou; the association was stronger in Iowa than Shantou for all age groups. CONCLUSIONS: A significantly higher prevalence of children who were not appropriately restrained was observed in Shantou than in Iowa. Our findings support the need of mandatory child safety restraint use legislation in China.
Entities:
Keywords:
child passenger safety restraint; cross country; motor vehicle occupant