Introduction: Trends in prevalence of risky behaviors of students are important to know in order to determine the need for prevention programs, and to predict the societal effect of these behaviors. Studies have shown that children who begin using substances in their early years are more likely to engage in health compromising behaviors in later adolescence, and are less effective in their performance of adult roles. The purpose of this study is to examine the patterns of risky behaviors (substance use, violence behavior, and unprotected sexual relation) of elementary, middle, high schools and university students. Method: The present study is based two Island-wide surveys. A representative sample of 5,332 from public and private schools in Puerto Rico surveyed during 1997. The data for university students was obtained from a representative sample of private and public higher education institutions (n=7,320). Results: The last year prevalence of substance use was analyzed for each group. As expected the prevalence of substance use increases with school level. Significant differences were found when violence behavior and unprotected sexual relation were analyzed by school level and gender. Attitudes toward prevention programs will also be presented, and their relation to prevalence the risky behaviors. Conclusion: These results oblige health promoters to invest part of their efforts in analyzing ways to reduce drug use, violent behavior and unprotected sex onset, promoting the revision or creation of new programs and research.
Learning Objectives: Identify risky behaviors among elementary, middle, high school and university students. Identify relationships between risky behaviors and socio-demographic variables Identify risky behaviors that that need to be addressed in prevention programs in educational institutions
Keywords: Hispanic Youth, Risk Factors
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.