Abstract

GONZALEZ-QUINONES, Juan C  and  DE LA HOZ-RESTREPO, Fernando. Relationships between psychosocial risk behavior and the family in adolescents' from Suba, an urban area in Bogotá. Rev. salud pública [online]. 2011, vol.13, n.1, pp.67-78. ISSN 0124-0064.

Objective Assessing the relationship between adolescents' high-risk behaviour and family dynamics regarding structure and perception of family functionality. Methodology A cross-sectional, observational study was carried out on a population of 12,302 adolescents ranging in age from 10 to 19 years attending 12 public schools in the urban area of Suba (Bogota). A self-assessment questionnaire was administered, focusing on sexual behaviour, addiction, depression, violent behaviour and eating disorders. Results There was 63 % prevalence regarding good family function and 7 % prevalence concerning severe family dysfunction; comparing these with high-risk behaviour revealed a relationship with violent behaviour (4.1 OR, 3.4-4.7 95 %CI), eating disorders (2.3 OR, 1.9-2.8 95 %CI) and sexual relationships (2.0 OR, 1.7-2.4 95 %CI). Conclusions Family dysfunction was found to be more frequently associated with high-risk behaviour in adolescents from low socioeconomic strata in Bogota than that found to derive from family structure. The strongest relationship was observed between violence and family.

Keywords : Adolescent; adolescent behaviour; dangerous behaviour; risk factor; school; family; violence.

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