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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Swanand Tilekar, MPH, Epidemiology, Loma Linda University, 24920 Mound Street, Loma Linda, CA 92354, (909) 558-1223, swanandtilekar@yahoo.com, Pramod Bankhele, Trupti Nursing Home, Opp. to Bus stand, Manchar, 410503, India, Ashwini Erande, BJ-JHUMIT project, B.J. Medical College, Sassoon General Hospital, Jayaprakash Narayan Road, Pune, 411001, India, and Rajesh Mali, MPH, Department of Ecotrophology and Health Sciences, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Lohbrügger Kirchstr. 65, Hamburg, 21033, Germany.

Methodology: The data was collected by administering questionnaires that required retrospective self-reporting about engaging in health-risk activities/behaviors. The sample (n= 2839), were subjects in the age group 12-18 yrs, from 6 schools and junior-colleges from the rural areas of Pune district, India.

Risk behavior significantly contributes to preventable morbidity, disability and mortality in adolescents and extends into adulthood. Tobacco, alcohol and other drug use, unprotected sexual behaviors are the established risk factors for various cancers, cardiovascular diseases; psychological problems, stress, HIV infection, other STIs, and genital tract cancers(cervical cancer) respectively. Considerable empirical evidences have shown that risk behaviors adopted in childhood or adolescence years may elevate the chances of above mentioned problems in the adulthood. Health behaviors and attitudes followed during adolescence lay a strong foundation for lifetime health related behavior patterns. Hence, it is essential to understand risk behaviors, their patterns, magnitude, and duration among youths. Most previous studies conducted in India related to different risk behaviors in adolescents and students were in urban areas, mainly measured the attitudes and perceptions towards the sexual behavior. Through this study we will be able to measure the prevalence of tobacco, alcohol and drug use, unprotected sexual activity, number of sexual partners, age at first sexual intercourse, alcohol use during sexual activity, use of contraceptives and need for sex education in school. This information can help us in determining health risk behavior, its prevalence. The results of this study will help us corroborate the finding in context of rural Indian youths.

Learning Objectives:

• To measure prevalence of tobacco & alcohol use
• To measure prevalence of violence & abuse
• To measure the prevalence of unsafe sexual behavior

Keywords: Adolescents, Risky Behaviors

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered

Handout (.pdf format, 1113.8 kb)

Handout (.ppt format, 9013.5 kb)