Citation

Fraga S, Ramos E, Dias S, Barros H. Prev. Med. 2011; 52(5): 401-404.

Affiliation

Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Porto Medical School, Porto, Portugal; Institute of Public Health - University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ypmed.2011.02.015

PMID

21371501

Abstract

Objective The purpose of this study was to estimate the frequency and to assess the determinants of physical fighting among Portuguese school-going adolescents. METHODS: A cross-sectional evaluation of urban adolescents born in 1990 and enrolled in public and private schools of Porto was performed in 2007. We identified 3,161 17-year-old eligible adolescents and 73.3% accepted to participate. Information was collected using a self-administered questionnaire assessing socio-demographic, behavioural, family and health-related characteristics. The magnitude of the associations between those characteristics and physical fighting was estimated using logistic regression. RESULTS: Overall, 33.8% of adolescents (48.6% of boys and 20.1% of girls; p<0.001) engaged in a physical fight during the previous 12months. The school premises were the most frequently reported setting where fights occurred (girls - 41.2% and boys - 46.7%, p=0.179). After adjustment, and in both genders, we found statistically significant associations between physical fighting and grade retention, smoking, drinking and age at first sexual intercourse. CONCLUSION: Physical fighting among school-going adolescents is frequent, tends to occur at school premises, and to cluster with other well recognized adverse health behaviours.

Language: en