The prevalence of seatbelt usage among university lecturers

BACKGROUND: We aimed to determine the ratio of seatbelt (SB) usage among professors of Faculty of Medicine (Gazi University Faculty of Medicine - GUFM). METHODS:
Lecturers of GUFM were observed for five working days during their proceeding to, and entrance and exit from the parking lot, and their SB usage ratio was noted. The data were recorded according to their academic status, age and gender as well as the clinics in which they work. RESULTS: A total of 392 teaching staff (253 males [64.54%], 139 females [35.46%]) were enrolled in the study and their data were recorded. Three hundred and six lecturers (78%) were of high academic level (Professor or Associate Professor), and were over 40 years. A total of 86 teaching staff (22%) held an academic level of Assistant Professor and Instructor and were younger than 40 years. We observed that 50 lecturers (12.76%) did not have a habit of wearing a SB. Among the lecturers not regularly using a SB, 40 (80%) were men, and again, 40 lecturers (80%) were of a high academic level (Professor or Associate Professor) and over 40 years. Of the lecturers driving without a SB, 46 (92%) were employed in Clinical Sciences. Most of the lecturers (30 academicians - 65.2%) driving without a SB and on staff in Clinical Sciences were the teaching staff of the Surgical Science Departments (General Surgery, Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Anesthesiology, etc). CONCLUSION: The SB usage rate is low in Turkey. It shows an increase with higher educational level. The ratio of SB usage habit is high amongst the lecturers (87.24%). It is noteworthy that the physicians working in surgical departments, who face post-accidental cases in their practice more often than other physicians, ignore the use of a SB.

Öðretim üyeleri arasýnda emniyet kemeri kullaným sýklýðý

AMAÇ: Bu çalýþmada, Gazi Üniversitesi Týp Fakültesi’nde görevli öðretim üyelerinin emniyet kemeri (EK) kullaným oranlarý araþtýrýlmýþtýr. GEREÇ-YÖNTEM: Gazi Üniversitesi Týp Fakültesi’nde görevli olan öðretim üyelerinin otoparka geliþ, giriþ-çýkýþ süreçleri içerisinde, EK takma oranlarý beþ iþ günü boyunca gözlemlendi ve bulgular öðretim üyelerinin akademik statülerine, yaþ, cinsiyet ve çalýþtýklarý kliniklere göre kayýt edildi. BULGULAR: Çalýþma sýrasýnda toplam 392 öðretim üyesine (253 erkek [%64,54], 139 kadýn [%35,46]) ait veriler kayýt edildi. Öðretim üyelerinden 306’sý (%78) yüksek akademik seviyeye (Profesör veya Doçent) sahipti ve 40 yaþ üstü idi. Yardýmcý Doçent ve Öðretim Görevlisi seviyesinde ve 40 yaþ altý toplam 86 (%22) öðretim üyesi bulunmakta idi. Gözlem süresi boyunca 50 öðretim üyesinin (%12,7) EK takmayý alýþkanlýk haline getirmediði gözlemlendi. Emniyet kemeri takmayan öðretim üyelerinden 40’ý (%80) erkekti, 40’ý (%80) yüksek akademik seviyeye sahip ve 40 yaþ üstü öðretim üyesi idi; takmayan öðretim üyelerinden 46’sý (%92) Klinik Bilimlerde görevli idi. Emniyet kemeri takmayan ve Klinik Bilimlerde öðretim üyesi olan akademisyenlerin büyük kýsmý (30 akademisyen - %65,2) Cerrahi Bilimlerde (Genel Cerrahi, Beyin Cerrahisi, Ortopedi ve Travmatoloji, Anesteziyoloji, vb.) öðretim üyesi idi. SONUÇ: Türkiye’de EK kullanma oraný düþüktür. Eðitim seviyesi arttýkça EK kullanma oraný artmaktadýr. Öðretim üyeleri arasýnda da EK kullanma oraný yüksektir (%87,24). Kaza sonrasý hastaneye baþvuran hastalarla tedavi aþamasýnda daha sýk karþýlaþan cerrahi hekim grubunun EK takmayý ihmal etmesi oldukça dikkata deðer bulunmuþtur.