Road traffic injury among young people in Vietnam: evidence from two rounds of national adolescent health surveys, 2004-2009

Background: Based on previous data, road traffic injury (RTI) was a leading cause of non-fatal injury in all-age groups in Vietnam, and among the top causes of injury in children and adolescents. Specific analysis on RTIs in young people, however, has yet to be fully investigated. Using the results of two surveys in 2004 and 2009, the present study aims to describe the current situation of non-fatal, unintentional RTIs among Vietnamese youths. In addition, it explores RTI-related risk and protective factors. Methods: This study utilized the nationally representative Survey Assessment of Vietnamese Youth 2009 (SAVY2) of 10,044 youths aged 14 to 25 from all 63 provinces in Vietnam. The indicators were compared with data from SAVY1 in 2004 of 7,584 youths. Bivariate and multivariable statistical techniques were applied. Results: Overall, 75% of youths used a motorcycle in SAVY2 compared with 54.2% in SAVY1. Of the SAVY2 sample, the proportion that had experienced an RTI was 10.6% vs. 14.1% in SAVY1. While the proportion of RTIs for both sexes decreased, the decline was greater for males (11.9% vs. 17.8% in SAVY1) than in females (9.2% vs. 10.4%). The proportion of rural youths aged 22-25 who experienced an RTI increased slightly in the 5 years between the two study intervals. The percentage of youths reporting frequent helmet use increased significantly from 26.2% in SAVY1 to 73.6% in SAVY2. Factors related to the likelihood of ever having experienced an RTI included: older age, male, ever being drunk, and ever riding motorcycles after drinking. Conclusion: While improvements in RTIs appear to have occurred between 2004 and 2009, more attention should be paid, particularly, in maintenance and supervision of law enforcement to helmet use and drunk driving.