Risk behaviors and health conditions among school adolescents: gender differences
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46551/ruc.v27n1a10Abstract
Objective: To verify risk behaviors and health conditions in relation to sex among school adolescents. Method: This is an epidemiological, cross-sectional and analytical study carried out with adolescents attending the first year of high school in the state public school system in the city of Montes Claros-MG. Data was collected in 2022 and 2023 using a self-administered questionnaire. The variables covered were risk behaviors and health conditions associated with gender. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were used. Results: 1,616 adolescents from 20 schools took part in the study. Among them, 50.4% were female, 25.2% were enrolled in full-time education, 64.0% were up to 15 years old and 59.3% considered their skin color to be brown. Girls showed a higher prevalence of risk behaviors and compromised health conditions, while boys showed greater body dissatisfaction in relation to thinness. Conclusion: The results revealed that there were significant differences between risk behaviors and health conditions in relation to sex, indicating higher prevalence of risk behaviors and worse health conditions among girls, when compared to boys.