Application of extended model of planned behavior in predicting helmet wearing among motorcyclist clerks in Yazd (2006)

In Iran about 24% of mortalities due to traffic accidents are brought about by motorcyclists. head injury is accounted as the main cause of this (65.7%-75%) fatality. Although helmet wearing can significantly decrease the risk of head injury, few motorcyclists make use of it. Planned Behavior Model is one of the important models which explains the major mechanism for accepting health behaivors.In the present study the Extended Model of Planned Behavior was applied in predicting helmet wearing among motorcyclist clerks in Yazd.. In this descriptive_analytical and cross-sectional study130 motorcyclist clerks from six offices in Yazd selected through clustered random sampling were surveyed. Questionnaires which were filled out during individual interviews were used for data collection. A panel of experts approved the validity of the questionnaire and its reliability was verified by means of Cronbach Alpha test (a =0.71-0.95). The obtained data was analyzed by SPSS (11.5) using Spearman Coefficient and Regression Analysis. Fifty-six subjects (43.1%) reported a history of motorcycle accident only six cases of them had worn helmets at the time of the accident. According to the results, there was a significant correlation between all the the variables of Extended Model of planned behavior and wearing/ intention to wear helmet (P<0.01). Regression analysis indicated that attitude, Perceived behavior control and being aware of wearing helmet by other motorcyclists accounted for 59% of vairance of intention to wear helmet among the subjects. Among the variables,the effect of perceived behavior control was the strongest predictor.Besides, perceived behavior control together with intention to use helmet on the part of other motorcyclists accoutned for 49% of variance on Helmet wearing among subjects(P<0.05). The results indicated a low level of helmet wearing among the subjects. Regarding the high prevalence of mortality due to head injury among motorcyclists, making more use of helmets should be recommended and promoted. Extended Model of planned behavior could be used as a theoretical framework in the instructional programms in order to predict the intention and wearing of helmets by motorcyclists.