Forms Of Risk Behavior Research Articles

Gender Differences in Coolness Dynamics Among Early and Middle Adolescents

The paper investigates gender differences in coolness dynamics among early and middle adolescents in a Hungarian panel dataset, which followed students from grade 5 (age 11–12) to grade 8 (age 14–15). Drawing on Gender Prototypicality Theory, we expected significantly different gendered patterns in the association between coolness and various forms of aggression, academic performance, physical attractiveness, BMI, and two forms of risk behavior (smoking, drinking). However, our multilevel models showed that behaviors traditionally considered masculine tended to be associated with coolness for both sexes, but in particular for girls. Some traditionally masculine behaviors (such as verbal aggression, smoking, or lower GPA) tended to be more strongly or only associated with status among girls. On the other hand, while physical attractiveness was associated with status for both sexes, this association was stronger among boys. Cultural and contextual explanations, as well as policy implications, are also discussed.

The health of children and adolescents in school ontogenesis as a basis for improving the system of school health care and sanitary-epidemiological wellbeing of students

Introduction. Against the background of socio-economic transformations and the digitalization of education, the health indicators of students are changing, which requires in-depth research. Aim of the study: based on the longitudinal observation of the health of schoolchildren, to identify the patterns of its formation for the scientific justification of improving the medical care of students. Material and methods. From the 1st to the 11a grade (2005-2015), the same students (199 boys and 227 girls) of 4 Moscow schools were examined annually with the performance of anthropometry, electrocardiography, functional tests, and questionnaire to identify complaints and anamnesis; specialist doctors carried out 25,298 examinations. In addition to the analysis of morbidity, a qualitative analysis of the course of pathological processes in students was carried out to determine positive and negative dynamics. Results. Over 11 years, the prevalence of functional disorders increased by 14.7%, chronic diseases by 52.8%, the frequency of visual disturbances, diseases of the musculoskeletal system, digestive organs, neurotic reactions increased; new forms of risk behaviour and information dependence appeared. An unfavourable period of development of pathological processes in schoolchildren is training in grades 9-11. Compared with the 1990 morbidity rates obtained by similar methods, there was an increase in the prevalence of functional disorders among adolescents by 2-3 times and chronic diseases by 20-70%. When comparing physical development with peers of the second half of the XX century, the observed schoolchildren increased the average values of body length and weight with a decrease in functional indicators. Distance learning during the first wave of COVID-19 in spring 2020 has increased the prevalence of computer vision, carpal tunnel syndromes, and neurotic reactions. Discussion. The main patterns of health formation in school ontogenesis, coinciding with the change of generations and the transition to the digitalization of education, are revealed. Conclusion. The study results allow predicting an increase in the prevalence of neuropsychiatric disorders, myopia, scoliosis, computer-visual and carpal tunnel syndromes. To preserve students’ health, to counteract COVID-19, a modern model of school health care is proposed.

Sexting, cyber-violence and sexually risk behaviour among college students

This research explores the relationship between sexting, committing and experiencing cyber-violence, and risk sexually behaviour among college students. A total of 202 college students filled out an adjusted version of the Sex and Tech Survey Questionnaire (STSQ), the Committing and Experiencing Cyber Violence Scale (CECVS) and the subscale on sexually risk behaviour from the Youth Self-reported Delinquency and Risk Behaviours Questionnaire (SRDP-2007). It has been found that a total of 60.89% of the participants have sent a sexually explicit text message and/or video content at least once, 60.33% have received such content, and 13.12% have forwarded or shown the received content to other people. Furthermore, 3.5% of the participants have experienced, and 2.01% have committed, cyber-violence. The majority of the participants have sent explicit content to their boyfriends/girlfriends. Most of the participants perceived sexting as a kind of joke, as a gift to their partner or as an answer to receiving sexually explicit content, while a minority of the participants mentioned negative motives for practicing sexting, such as peer or partner pressure. Almost all of the participants were aware of the danger sexting bore, but most of them still indulged in sexting, noting its positive outcomes, such as the excitement that followed it. Both committing/experiencing cyber-violence and sexually risk behaviour correlate positively and moderately with sexting. Positive and moderate correlations were found between committing and experiencing cyber-violence. Also, positive but weak correlations were found between practicing/experiencing cyber-violence and sexually risk behaviour in real life. Predicting sexting by experiencing and committing cyber violence and sexually risk behaviour has shown that only sexually risk behaviour is significant predictor. Such behaviour likely serves as a mediator for the relationship between committing cyber-violence and sexting, yet it explains only 8.2% of sexting variance, while the model as a whole explains almost 20%. The results indicate that different forms of risk behaviour are correlated, and that sexting is perceived not only as a risk behaviour, but as a behaviour that can be used to facilitate committed relationships in young adulthood.

Impulsiveness in Alcohol Addiction and Pathological Gambling

IntroductionImpulsiveness is one of the main features of a series of psychiatric entities such as ADHD, gambling addiction, disorders related to psychoactive substance use, impulse control disorders such as pyromania and certain personality disorders such as antisocial and borderline personality disorder.According to Moeller et al., impulsiveness can be defined as a predisposition towards rapid, unplanned reactions to internal and external stimuli regardless of the negative consequences of these reactions [1]. In accordance with the latest studies, there is a tendency to describe impulsiveness as a mul dimensional construct within which the behavioural impulsiveness is described as the impossibility of stopping the initiated reaction or action and cognitive impulsiveness as the impossibility to form an adequate judgement on the consequences of somebody's behaviour. These two dimensions of impulsiveness are described as independent and different phenomena. It can be assumed that in the future these constructs will be additionally developed and complemented [2]. Conceptual definitions of impulsiveness often state the following dimensions: lack of perseverance, sensation seeking, i.e. new contents, lack of premeditation before acting, urgency and increased sensitivity to gratification [3].Impulsiveness is also often described as a part of personality traits and so do Patton et al. distinguish between the motoric aspect of impulsiveness related to action without premeditation and cognitive aspect related to urgent decision-making, non-planning, which is described as focusing on the present and having difficulties to maintain attention [4]. Impulsiveness can be quantified in two ways - by self-reports and neuropsychological tests which use specific movements with the aim to evaluate various components of impulsiveness such as the time thinking was initiated, i.e. making slow or fast decisions in situations of high insecurity. Delaying gratification and fast response are two clear ways a person can operationalize impulsiveness [5,6].A large number of conducted studies showed that addicts had scored generally higher on the impulsiveness scale of selfevaluation scales than persons not diagnosed with an addiction, i.e. not consuming psychoactive substances and that impulsiveness was one of the most important factors for developing and maintaining addiction [7,8]. This was also supported by the fact that the very diagnostic criteria for diagnosing an addiction syndrome also overlapped to a large extent with the elements of the impulsiveness definition. The previous research studies showed that impulsiveness plays an important role in the clinical course, i.e. it represents an important predictive factor for the occurrence of relapse and significantly affects the response to treatment of both addicts on psychoactive substances, such as alcohol addicts, and gambling addicts, as the only recognised behavioural addicts [9,10].With psychoactive substance addictions, as with behavioural addictions, impulsiveness can be observed as the determining factor or the vital causative factor for the development of an addiction, but also as a consequence of psychoactive substance addictions. As a determinant or one of the causative factors, impulsive personality traits represent a risk factor for beginning to experiment with psychoactive substances, developing addiction and making abstinence more difficult once the addiction is developed and the change of the impulsiveness intensity is in direct correlation to the amount of the psychoactive substance consumption [11]. However, psychoactive substances per se can have an impact on impulsiveness, an acute one, i.e. due to their primary effect, but also as a longterm consequence of psychoactive substance consumption. The acute effect of alcohol, as well of other psychoactive substances, results in a reduction of inhibition, i.e. a change of the decision-making process, thus raising the probability of engaging in all forms of risk behaviour. …

Health problems of young people in the municipality of Foca / Zdravlje i problemi mladih u opštini Foča

Young people, according to UN defiiniciji, represent the future of every society and they are the most profitable long-term investmentEach year, approximately 1 million teenage girls become pregnant in the world, and every 67 seconds a baby teenager In the adolescent period a large number of young people start with alcohol, coffee, psychotropic substances and smoking. The reasons are most often the desire to prove, identification, affirmation sekusalnog identity, curiosity for the new and unknown. The aim of the study was to examine the knowledge, attitudes and knowledge of adolescents about the use of psychoactive substances, alcohol and tobacco, as well as to identify ways in which young people use their free time. The survey was conducted in April 2015, in primary and Secondary School in Foca. The survey included 212 respondents, of different genders and different age groups. Data were collected original survey questionnaire, anonymous character, which contains 14 questions.Both groups of patients in a large percentage stated that they did not try psychoactive substances, as the most common reason for drug use both cited as the main reason for the influence of society. Although sexual activity is still taboo in the RS, alarming data that 19% of ninth grade students sexually active, and to limit entry into sexual relations increasingly lowered.Young in primary and secondary school state that they are sufficiently informed of psychoactive substances, as the most frequent source of information for high school state TV and the Internet, and ninth grade students report that they are parents. In this time of adventure and immature display of defiance social and social norms, young people are very vulnerable group subject to acceptance of various forms of risk behavior.

Pornography sexual behaviour and risk behaviour at university

Summary Introduction The pornography industry is a pervasive influence on adolescents, nearly all of whom are exposed to it via the internet, either willingly or unwillingly and at a more or less premature age. Is there an association between exposure to pornography and some forms of risk behaviour? Method Eight hundred and twelve Lille students responded anonymously to a questionnaire given to them on the occasion of a consultation at a health centre. Logistic and linear regressions were used for statistical analysis. Findings Nearly all men and 80% of women had been exposed to pornography. The average age of initial exposure was 15.2 years. Exposure at a premature age is associated with sexual activity at a younger age and with a greater inclination to seek out casual partners and use cannabis more frequently. The age of exposure does not on the other hand appear to have any influence on the number of sexual partners, the practice of anal penetration, alcohol or tobacco consumption, contraceptive use and taking risks in terms of sexually transmitted infections. Frequent viewing of pornographic images is associated with sexual activity at a younger age, a larger number of sexual partners, an inclination to seek out casual partners, the practice of anal penetration, a lower level of prevention of sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies and finally, a higher consumption of alcohol and cannabis. In conclusion, these findings should be taken into account, and should lead those involved in sexual health and sex education to increase the amount of information they provide to adolescents.

Low Self-Control and Co-occurrence of Gambling with Substance Use and Delinquency Among Chinese Adolescents

Relatively little is known about gambling co-morbidity in Asian youth populations. The role of trait self-control in co-morbidity also remains under-explored in the gambling literature. This study examined the association between gambling, substance use and delinquency among Chinese adolescents, and the extent to which these forms of risk behavior are commonly predicted by low self-control. Data from a cross-sectional questionnaire survey of a stratified, random sample of 4,734 high school students aged 12-23years in Hong Kong were analyzed. The prevalence of gambling pathology, frequency and attitudes showed statistically significant, positive and consistent relationships with tobacco use, alcohol use, and delinquent acts at the p<.001 level. Further analyses revealed that low self-control significantly (p<.001) predicts at-risk/probable pathological gambling, frequent gambling, strong permissiveness toward gambling, heavy use of tobacco and alcohol, and delinquent involvement, even after controlling for the potential shared correlates of socioeconomic characteristics, parental monitoring and peer delinquency. Hence, the concept that gambling problems and strong receptivity to gambling are likely to be part of a general problem behavior syndrome is evinced cross-culturally among young people in a Chinese context. It may also be cost-effective to increase intervention efforts to improve the self-control deficit in adolescents, as this should reduce their gambling and concurrent problem behavior.

A qualitative exploration of travel-related risk behaviours of injection drug users from two Slovene regions

This qualitative study of travel-related risk behaviours of Slovene injection drug users was based on interviews with individuals enrolled in drug addiction treatment programmes run by three regional centres for prevention and treatment of drug addiction. The primary objective of the study was to analyse behaviour patterns and practices of injection drug users during travel.MethodsTravel-related problems of Slovene injection drug users were identified on the basis of data obtained by 25 in-depth interviews. A semi-structured questionnaire with 13 open-ended questions was developed after a preliminary study and review of the literature, and on the basis of experience with the treatment of drug addiction in Slovenia.ResultsThe sample comprised 25 individuals, 18 men and seven women, aged 25 to 53 years. The interviews were 10 to 30 minutes long. The results obtained were presented as identified risk behaviours. Five categories were generated, providing information on the following topics: procurement of illicit drugs, criminal acts/environment, HIV and hepatitis B and C infections, storage and transport of substitution medication and pre-travel health protection. The first three categories comprise the injection drug users' risk behaviours that are most frequently explored in the literature. The other two categories - storage and transport of medication across the border and pre-travel health protection - reflect national specificities and the effectiveness of substitution treatment programmes. The majority of participants denied having shared needles and other injecting equipment when travelling. Participants who had no doctor's certificate had recourse to various forms of risk behaviour, finding a number of ways to hide the medication at the border.ConclusionThis qualitative study provides insight into potential travel-related risk behaviour of injection drug users from two Slovene regions - central and coastal. The potential value of this qualitative study is primarily in the identification of potential risk behaviour of Slovene injection drug users travelling abroad. The study shows that injection drug users' experiences can contribute to better and more efficient treatment of drug addiction in Slovenia.

Similarities and Differences between Smoking and Non-smoking Ten-year-old Children in Primary Schools

For the majority of smokers, smoking is related to other forms of risk behaviour, especially poorer eating habits. The primary preventive educational programme "No smoking is a norm" focuses on children of younger school age (under 10 yrs), enables comparison and statistical evaluation of whether there are any differences (and which) between ten-year-olds with various smoking experiences, with special attention paid to their exposure to the influence of smokers, and their eating habits. Analysis of data gained from a questionnaire compared groups of boys and girls, smokers and non-smokers, and children from families with no smokers, occasional smokers, and frequent smokers. Statistical significance of the differences was tested in the EPI INFO programme by means of the chi2 test. From 1,082 children, almost one quarter (22.9%) have already tried smoking, boys more frequently (25%) than girls (19%) (p < 0.05); and almost 7% smoked repeatedly. The household is the most frequently stated environment for accessing cigarettes in children: 51% of children are given cigarettes by their parents, siblings, grandparents or other relatives, another almost 17% take cigarettes themselves from unprotected stock. From 246 children who have smoked, more than one third were offered cigarettes by their friends, and some (4%) even bought them. Children with smoking experience more often come from smokers' families and more often have smoking siblings and friends who offer them cigarettes. Children claimed to have consumed alcoholic drinks over the past month, repeatedly smoking more often than those with one attempt (aprox. 81% vs 58%) and never smokers (32%). Smokers also more frequently ate salty snacks such as crisps, sausages, and fast foods. The circumstance of whether there are smokers in the child's household or not significantly influenced children's opinions on the smoking of men/boys and women/girls (fewer critics and more admirers in smokers' families), selection of friends, availability of cigarettes, and smoking behaviour of the children. The examination of a cohort of ten-year-olds in a semi-longitudinal study confirmed the growing trend of experimenting with smoking. Strong relations to smoking behaviour in families were identified--such that influence a more tolerant approach to parents' smoking, selection of smoking or non-smoking friends, more frequent consumption of alcohol and salty snacks.

Senate Urged to Address Suicide in American-Indian Youth

Senate Urged to Address Suicide in American-Indian Youth

Health trends among drug users attending needle exchange programmes in Switzerland (1994–2000)

As a part of an assessment of the Swiss drug harm-reduction policy, cross-sectional surveys were conducted in 1994, 1996 and 2000 among attenders of all needle exchange programmes (NEP) in Switzerland to assess changes in specific aspects of their health related to drug use. Data were gathered in each NEP over one week, using a questionnaire completed partly with an interviewer and partly self administered. The questionnaire covered socio-demographic characteristics, drug consumption, risk, prevention behaviour and state of health. Over a 6-year period (1994–2000), the average age of NEP attenders rose by 4 years. The prevalence of reported HIV remained fairly stable at around 10%. Reported level of Hepatitis C prevalence was high (59%). Incidence of used injection equipment sharing during the last 6 months was low and stable (9% in 1994, 12% in 2000); however, other forms of risk behaviour linked to intravenous drug use, such as sharing spoons, cotton or water, were more frequently reported. The HIV epidemic among NEP attenders seems to be contained, but this is not the case with Hepatitis C, and more attention should be paid to its prevention.

Risk behaviour in adolescence: the relationship between developmental and health problems

Current research is beginning to suggest that the descriptive knowledge base of adolescent risk behaviour is not conceptually based and is inadequate to sufficiently inform a comprehensive assessment of adolescent health and risk. The aim of this paper is to contribute towards the knowledge of adolescent risk behaviour. Building on a developmental perspective, links between health risk behaviour and the socialisation process in adolescence are discussed, and developmental functions and characteristics of risk behaviour are thereby investigated in light of a psychosocial stress model. An integrative model of adolescent problem handling is proposed that distinguishes three different forms of risk behaviour: externalisation, internalisation, and evasive risk behaviours. These are further elaborated on the basis of results from the latest World Health Organization Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. Finally, conclusions for future research and health-promoting strategies are given.

Reducing HIV/AIDS High-Risk Behavior among Injection Drug Users: Peers vs. Education

This study examines the effects of peer groups and education on risk behavior for HIV among injection drug users (IDUs). The sample consisted of 682 participants in the Eastern Connecticut Health Outreach project, which compares traditional and peer-driven outreach interventions for IDUs. Participants are educated about safer injecting, subsequently administered a risk-reduction knowledge test, and given an extensive interview. Logistic regression shows that education alone is not a significant factor in reducing risky behavior in IDUs among the behaviors studied. A significant interaction was found between peer support for safer use and personal saliency of peer attitudes for both syringe and water sharing. Neither peer attitudes nor education affected cooker sharing. These results suggest that while education may be an important component in any intervention, it is not alone sufficient to reduce risky behavior. Our findings suggest that peer-directed interventions may be useful in reducing some forms of risk behavior among IDUs.