Health risk behaviors among adolescents attending rural, suburban, and urban schools: a comparative study

This study describes differences in health risk behaviors among 2,017 adolescents attending rural, suburban, and urban school districts in upstate New York. Differences in risk behaviors regarding use of tobacco, alcohol, and illegal substances; sexual activity; and carrying weapons were analyzed. A...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inFamily & community health Vol. 25; no. 2; p. 53
Main Authors Atav, Serdar, Spencer, Gale A
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.07.2002
Subjects
Adolescent
Adolescent Behavior - ethnology
Adolescent Behavior - psychology
Child
Demography
Female
Health Behavior
Humans
Male
New York - epidemiology
Risk-Taking
Rural Population
Schools
Sexual Behavior - ethnology
Socioeconomic Factors
Students - psychology
Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology
Substance-Related Disorders - ethnology
Suburban Population
Urban Population
Violence - ethnology
Violence - statistics & numerical data
New York
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Summary:This study describes differences in health risk behaviors among 2,017 adolescents attending rural, suburban, and urban school districts in upstate New York. Differences in risk behaviors regarding use of tobacco, alcohol, and illegal substances; sexual activity; and carrying weapons were analyzed. A consistent pattern emerged from the analysis of the data, with rural students at most risk. The findings reinforce the need to focus on the relationship between residence and health risk behaviors, so that intervention programs specific to the needs of rural, suburban, and urban adolescents can be developed.
ISSN:0160-6379
DOI:10.1097/00003727-200207000-00007