João Manuel Rosado de Miranda Justo

Seatbelt use, attitudes, and changes in legislation: an international study.

BACKGROUND The use of seat belts is among the most effective methods of reducing injury in motor vehicle crashes. We examined trends in seat belt use by university students from 13 European countries between 1990 and 2000, in relation to changes in legislation, attitudes, and hazardous driver behaviors. METHODS Data were collected via an anonymous standardized questionnaire from university students in Belgium, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and Spain. There were 10,576 respondents in 1990, and 10,294 in 2000. Data were also collected from 1672 students in the United States in 2000. Analyses were performed in early 2002. RESULTS Reported seat belt use increased from 63% to 73% in male students, and from 66% to 77% in female students over the decade. There were marked increases in seat belt use in countries with changes in legislation or enforcement from 1990 to 2000, with 24% to 64% more respondents reporting seat belt use in 2000. The prevalence of use and noted changes during this period correlated with findings from national surveys (r= 0.91). Attitudes to seat belt use were associated with behavior both within and between countries. Nonuse of seat belts was positively related to alcohol-impaired driving and failure to obey speed limits. CONCLUSIONS Legislation has a substantial impact on the use of vehicle seat belts, but additional gains require efforts to change attitudes within the university student population.

Prenatal attachment and sociodemographic and clinical factors in Portuguese couples

Abstract Objectives: To observe differences between maternal and paternal prenatal attachment as a function of sociodemographic and clinical/obstetric factors. Methods: Quantitative descriptive correlational study. Instruments: Sociodemographic and Clinical Questionnaire; Maternal and Paternal Antenatal Attachment Scale (Portuguese version by Camarneiro & Justo). Assessments were conducted in antenatal clinics in Central Portugal. Participants: Couples (N = 407), women and men in the second trimester of pregnancy. Results: Significant differences in maternal prenatal attachment were observed as a function of age, education, socioeconomic status, pregnancy planning, previous pregnancies, pregnancy interruptions and gestational age. Significant differences in paternal prenatal attachment were observed as a function of age, number of children, socioeconomic status, occupational status, family household and pregnancy planning. Conclusions: Women and men present variations in prenatal attachment according to some sociodemographic and clinical variables. These results should be taken into account in interventions focused on the promotion of prenatal attachment.