Citation

de Sena CA, Colares V. Cad. Saude Publica 2008; 24(10): 2314-2322.

Vernacular Title

Comportamentos de risco para a saude entre adolescentes em conflito com a lei.

Affiliation

Faculdade de Enfermagem Nossa Senhora das Gracas, Universidade de Pernambuco, Recife, Brasil. claudiasena2004@globo.com

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Escola Nacional De Saude Publica)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

18949233

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate health risk behavior among teenage offenders committed to a social-educational institution in a city in Greater Metropolitan Recife, Pernambuco State, Brazil. The sample included 241 males 12-18 years of age. Data were collected with a brief self-completed questionnaire used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, translated and adapted for young Brazilians. 79.7% of subjects reported having carried a gun and 52.7% had been in fights involving physical aggression in the previous 12 months. Most of the young offenders smoked cigarettes (87.6%) and consumed alcohol (64.7%). The majority reported having sniffed inhalants (68.9%), and 81.3% had smoked marijuana. The vast majority (95.4%) reported being sexually initiated, most having had sex with more than one partner. Young offenders showed high rates of various health risk behaviors.

Language: pt