Profile and trend of risk factors for traffic accidents in schoolchildren in Brazilian capitals: PeNSE 2009, 2012 and 2015

ABSTRACT: Introduction: Land transport accidents (LTA) are the second cause of death in schoolchildren aged 13 to 17 years. The study aims to describe the risk factors for LTA in schoolchildren from the National School Health Survey (PeNSE) of 2015 and to evaluate the trend of selected indicators in the last three editions of PeNSE. Methodology: A descriptive study on risk factors for LTA in 2015, with PeNSE data and time series trends analysis, with age-adjusted regression tests of the 2009, 2012 and 2015 editions, in Brazilian capitals. Results: In 2015, 26.3% of ninth grade schoolchildren, mostly between 13 and 15 years of age, reported having been in a motor vehicle driven by someone who consumed alcohol and 32.4% had driven a motor vehicle; 30.7% of adolescents did not use seat belts in the back seat; and 16.8% of schoolchildren who ride motorcycles did not wear helmets. There was also a worsening of the indicators between 2009 and 2015, regarding driving a motor vehicle (1.0 percentage points) and having been driven by vehicle for consumption of alcoholic beverages (1.1 percentage points). Discussion: The LTA occurrence results from the interaction between roads, vehicles and users, and has a strong correlation with behavior. Conclusions: The results show the need to invest in educational measures, associated with supervision, the improvement of road infrastructure, research and improvement of legislation. The monitoring of risk factors in schoolchildren substantially contributes to support intersectoral public policies interventions to reduce morbidity and mortality in traffic.