Psycho-spatial predictors of alcohol use among motor drivers in Ibadan, Nigeria: Implications for preventing vehicular accidents

Abstract

Abikoye, G. E. (2012). Psycho-spatial predictors of alcohol use among motor drivers in Ibadan, Nigeria: Implications for preventing vehicular accidents. International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research, 1(1), 17-26. doi:10.7895/ijadr.v1i1.32 (http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.v1i1.32)Aims: The study examined the roles of selected psychological, demographic and environmental variables in predicting hazardous drinking for both commercial drivers and private drivers.Design: The study was a cross-sectional survey.Setting: Data were collected at motor parks, auto workshops and car wash centers across the metropolis of Ibadan, Nigeria.Participants: A convenience sample of 566 drivers was recruited (241 commercial and 325 private drivers). Most drivers were male, and the mean age of the total sample was 35.70 years (±8.62 years).Measurements: The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to measure hazardous drinking. Psychological variables included standardized measures of perceived drinking norms and optimistic bias. Demographic variables included age, sex, education, marital status, employment status and income. Environmental variables included proximity to alcohol vendors or selling points and neighborhood density.Findings: About 45% of commercial drivers and 25% of private drivers reported hazardous levels of alcohol consumption. Hazardous drinking was predicted by age, education, income, proximity to alcohol outlets, neighborhood density, optimistic bias and perceived drinking norms even when all variables were included in the regression model. These variables accounted for a substantial proportion of variance in predicting hazardous drinking.Conclusions: Psychological, environmental and demographic variables are important in understanding hazardous drinking among drivers and should be incorporated into intervention for reducing drivers’ hazardous drinking, including drinking and driving.