Sammandrag Bakgrund: Sexualitet är en väsentlig del av att vara människa och varje individ har rätt till en trygg och hälsosam sexualitet. Upprepade studier påvisar dock förändrade sexualvanor hos ungdomar med mer tillåtande attityder och ett ökat risktagande kring sexualitet. Konsekvenserna av ett sexuellt risktagande kan bli allvarliga och det förebyggande arbetet blir alltmer viktigt. Syfte: Syftet med studien var att identifiera vilka faktorer som har samband med ett sexuellt risktagande hos ungdomar i årskurs 2 på gymnasiet, samt att undersöka om könsskillnader förelåg. Metod: En empirisk studie med kvantitativ metod har använts. Studien bygger på ett redan insamlat material som är byggt på en enkätundersökning. Materialet har analyserats i statistikprogrammet SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) och via Chi-square test testades där huvudvariabeln, >3 sexualpartners under det senaste året, mot relevanta variabler i enkäten. En logistisk regressionsanalys gjordes för att kunna utesluta eventuella slumpmässiga samband. Resultat: Alkoholkonsumtion, narkotikaanvändning och rökning var några av de faktorer som visade sig ha ett samband med ungdomarnas sexuella risktagande. Flertalet av riksfaktorerna skilde sig mellan könen, men alkoholkonsumtion var en gemensam riskfaktor för både flickor och pojkar. Slutsats: Studien visar att följande faktorer kan leda till ett ökat sexuellt risktagande hos ungdomar: äter inte frukt, rökande storasyster, snusande bästis, använt narkotika, varit full/ varit full >3ggr, rökt vattenpipa, trivs inte med livet, röker, rökande mamma, rökande storasyster och snusar. / Abstract Background: Sexuality is an essential part of human nature and each individual has the right to a safe and healthy sexuality. Repeated studies indicate, however, altered sexual behavior among adolescents, with more permissive attitudes and an increased risk taking concerning sexuality. The consequences of a sexual risk behavior can become severe and the preventive work becomes increasingly important. Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with sexual risk taking among young people in Year 2 at high school, and to examine whether gender differences existed. Method: An empirical study using a quantitative method has been used. The study is based on an already collected material that is built on a survey. The material has been analyzed in the statistical program SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) and by chi-square test the main variable, >3 sexual partners during the last year, was tested against relevant variables in the survey. This was accompanied by a univariate frequency analysis to ensure the distribution and a logistic regression analysis to exclude any apparent connection. Results: Alcohol consumption, drug use and smoking were factors that appeared to be related to young people's sexual risk taking. The factors that were most significantly differed between the sexes, but alcohol consumption were a common risk factor for both girls and boys. Conclusion: The study shows that the following factors can lead to increased sexual risk-taking among young people: do not eat fruit, smoking big sister, snuff best friend, used drugs, been drunk / been completed> 3 times, smoked hookah, not happy with life, smokes, smoking mother, smoking big sister and sniffs.

To achieve the goal of universal coverage of health insurance for the Americans, in March 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law. The ACA targets at providing help to improve access to affordable health coverage for everyone and protect consumers from abusive insurance company practices. One of the precedent mandates, implemented in September 2010, is to expand coverage on young adults of age 19 to 26, who may lose insurance coverage due to the remove from their parents’ plan after age 18 and lacking of productivity to bargain with employers in the labor market. This dissertation looks into the impact of the ACA health insurance coverage expansion for young adults on the subsequent health outcomes, health care utilization, and further social impact on traffic fatalities. Difference-in-differences models are used with different treatment groups and corresponding control groups. Chapter I uses survey data (BRFSS) to evaluate health care access, health behavior and self-assessed health status. The results suggest an improvement in health care access and self-assessed health but more risky behavior. Chapter II uses hospital discharge data (NIS) to estimate avoidable hospitalization in order to assess primary care utilization. The result shows that less primary care was consumed, which leads to more avoidable hospitalization but health may have been improved by using more hospital care. The results from both chapters imply potential ex ante moral hazard among young adults in the policy targeting age group. Thus, chapter III uses accident records data (FARS) to examine the impact of the health insurance expansion on traffic fatality for young adults, to see whether young drivers perform ex ante moral hazard through risky behavior like drunk and/or reckless driving after they get covered by the health insurance expansion policy. Primary result shows that there is an increase in traffic accidents and fatalities for those younger adults as a result of the ACA dependent coverage expansion.

Aim. To observe and evaluate the health behaviour in school aged children and to get key insights into the health related behaviours of young people. Objectives. To analize and evaluate health behaviours among boys and girls in Pakistan. To analize and evaluate health-risk behaviors among boys and girls in Pakistan.To compare health behaviours of adolescents in Pakistan and Lithuania. Methods. Health Behavior in School aged Children (HBSC) questionnaire was used in this study. Questionnaire survey was carried out in 2 schools of Pakistan. One school was private and one school was public. The were 300 participants and majority of them were 14 and 15 years old. Health behavior was measured with questions concerning adolescent’s nutritional habits (breakfast, fresh fruit and vegetable, sweets, fast food and soft drinks with sugar consumption), health-risk behavior (cigarette use, injuries) and physical activity. Statistical data was analyzed using the statistic package SPSS 15.0 for Windows. Results. Two thirds (78.5%) of respondents thought they are in good health and just 4% claimed having excellent health. Study results showed, that 41% of school students exercise 2-3 times a week and 7.3% less than once a month. It was estimated that more than half of Pakistan adolescents eat breakfast every day on weekdays, but on weekends less than one third have breakfast at home. One third of respondents stated, that eat fresh vegetable and 20.1% of then eat fresh fruit every day... [to full text] / Santrauka.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Miami University, Dept. of Psychology, 2004. / Title from second page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 26-30).

The experience of sexuality during adolescence is considered a normative aspect of adolescence marked by the influence of biological, familial and cultural aspects that will be the pattern of sexual identity and sexual behavior of adolescents. However, many adolescents do not have adequate knowledge and skills to implement safe sexual behavior may lead them to engage in sexual behaviors that create risk to their health. These behaviors are considered risky, and can lead adolescents to have an unwanted pregnancy or getting a sexually transmitted disease. National and international studies identified factors that may influence the development of these behaviors in sexual initiation and management of contraception. The age and education can act as protective factors related to delay of first sexual intercourse. Gender have a strong influence, especially in the management of contraception along with parental support. These factors can influence the choice of contraceptive method used in subsequent sex initiation. Observed few national studies with a focus on relationships between parental support and sexual risk behaviors in adolescents. To address the proposed objectives, this dissertation presents itself divided into two articles. In the first study, a systematic review of literature on sexual risk behavior from national studies were conducted. In the second study, we investigate possible relationships between parental support and sexual risk behaviors and other factors that could be exerting influence these behaviors, in adolescents in public schools. Participated in this study 508 students from elementary and secondary education in public schools in a city in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul. We used to collect data the Brazilian Questionare Phase II which investigating risk and protective factors in adolescents. The adolescents have their first sexual intercourse at about fourteen years old, with a steady partner. During the management of contraception it was found a decrease in the consistent use of condoms during sexual intercourse, particularly by girls who start using the pill as a contraceptive method. These data call attention to the fact that adolescents are preventing themselves from pregnancy and not STDs. / A vivência da sexualidade durante a adolescência é considerada um aspecto normativo da adolescência marcado pela influência de aspectos biológicos, familiares e culturais que vão constituir a identidade sexual e o padrão de comportamento sexual do adolescente. Entretanto muitos adolescentes podem não possuir conhecimentos adequados e habilidades para a implementação de um comportamento sexual seguro podendo levá-los a engajar-se em comportamentos sexuais que gerem risco à sua saúde. Esses comportamentos, considerados de risco, podem levar o adolescente a ter uma gravidez indesejada ou a adquirir uma doença sexualmente transmissível. Estudos nacionais e internacionais têm procurado identificar fatores que podem influenciar desenvolvimento desses comportamentos na iniciação sexual e na gestão da contracepção. A idade, a escolaridade e a religião podem atuar como fatores protetivos relacionados ao adiamento da primeira relação sexual. Aspectos relacionados ao gênero podem exercer forte influência, principalmente na gestão da contracepção nos relacionamentos sexuais posteriores a iniciação sexual, juntamente com o apoio parental. Observa-se poucos estudos nacionais com o foco nas relações entre o apoio parental e os comportamentos sexuais de risco em adolescentes. Para contemplar os objetivos propostos, a presente dissertação apresenta-se dividida em dois artigos. No primeiro estudo, foi realizada uma revisão sistemática de literatura sobre comportamento sexual de risco a partir de estudos nacionais. No segundo estudo, procurou-se investigar em adolescentes de escolas públicas, possíveis relações entre o apoio parental e comportamentos sexual de risco e outros fatores que pudesse estar exercendo influencia nesses comportamentos. Participaram dessa pesquisa 508 estudantes do ensino fundamental e médio de escolas públicas de um município da região centro do Rio Grande do Sul. Para a coleta dos dados utilizou-se o Questionário Juventude Brasileira Versão Fase II que investiga fatores de risco e proteção em adolescentes. Os adolescentes têm sua primeira relação sexual por volta dos quatorze anos de idade, com parceiros fixos. Durante a gestão da contracepção constatou-se uma diminuição do uso do preservativo nas relações sexuais, principalmente pelas meninas que passam a utilizar a pílula anticoncepcional como método contraceptivo. Esses dados alertam para o fato de que os adolescentes estão prevenindo-se de uma gravidez e não das doenças sexualmente transmissíveis.

For my master thesis, I have chosen the topic of alcoholics' suicide occurrence. There were 1647 people who have committed a suicide in the Czech Republic during the year 2012. Out of the 1647 people, there were 1370 men, and 277 women (ČSÚ, 2013). The deaths of alcoholics are not recorded by the National Evidence Center. The thesis is divided into theoretical and practical parts. The information for the theoretical part was gathered from academic sources. The two examined parts are the suicide commitment in the Czech Republic, and the alcohol consumption. The practical part is simply a primary research that I have done in PL Červený Dvůr. The research had two parts; quantitative and qualitative. The qualitative part was done through interviews with chosen respondents. The quantitative part was done through surveys distributed in PL Červený Dvůr. I have chosen to do the quantitative part first, so that I could choose the right candidates for the quantitative part based on their responses. The interviews helped me to complete the information I was looking for. I have set various goals that I wanted to reach through the research. The main goal was to chart the suicide behavior of alcoholics who are patients of PL Červený Dvůr. In order to reach such goal, I have set partial goals. The first partial goal was to contras the reason that lead the patients of PL Červený Dvůr to try to commit a suicide. According to the results I received, the most common reason for committing a suicide is either unfulfilled love, or the breaking-up with partner. Another goal was to discover the way the patients tried to kill themselves. As the majority responded so, the most common way is to cut the veins while drunk. The third goal was to compare and contrast the different reasons why as well as the ways how to commit a suicide. I have focused on two groups of patients of PL Červený Dvůr; the alcoholics and the toxicants. The alcoholics had proven that the reason why the tried to kill themselves was love, but the toxicants stated that they did it because they simply did not have a reason to live anymore. Both of the groups decided to end their lives by cutting their veins.

A adolescência é um período de vulnerabilidade para comportamentos de risco. Devido às mudanças físicas e psicológicas da puberdade, a necessidade de experimentar o novo e início do comportamento sexual, o adolescente está mais vulnerável a aquisição de comportamentos como fumar, beber e ter comportamento sexual desprotegido. Para promover a saúde e aumentar a competência psicossocial dos adolescentes, a Organização Mundial de Saúde preconiza o Ensino de Habilidades de Vida. Este programa consiste no ensino de dez habilidades (emocionais, cognitivas e sociais) que aumentam a capacidade dos jovens adotarem comportamentos positivos e adaptativos no cotidiano. São elas: autoconhecimento, lidar com emoções e estresse, comunicação eficaz, relacionamento interpessoal, empatia, pensamento crítico, pensamento criativo, tomada de decisão e resolução de problemas. A literatura aponta que o conjunto dessas habilidades promove a saúde dos adolescentes e previne comportamentos de risco. Este estudo tem o objetivo é avaliar os efeitos do programa Ensino de Habilidades de Vida entre adolescentes vinculados a instituições profissionalizantes, sobre os comportamentos de risco e o locus de controle. Participaram 45 adolescentes de duas instituições no município de Ribeirão Preto, com 24 e 21 participantes em cada uma delas. A faixa etária situava-se entre 14 e 17 anos e 11 meses, a população era predominantemente do sexo masculino e a maioria estudante. Formaram-se oito grupos, quatro por instituição, durante os anos de 2003 e 2004, com média de seis participantes cada. Foram realizados 16 encontros, com freqüência semanal e duração de uma hora e meia em uma, e uma hora na outra instituição. Para avaliar a intervenção, no 4º e 15º encontros foram aplicados dois questionários, um sobre comportamentos de risco para a saúde e a escala de Locus de Controle de Levenson. No 16º encontro, foi realizada uma entrevista em grupo. Do 5º ao 14º encontros foram desenvolvidas as habilidades de vida, uma por encontro. A metodologia utilizada foi interativa e participativa, através de jogos, dramatizações e discussões. As variáveis dependentes eram: comportamentos de risco para o tabaco, álcool, drogas ilícitas, sexo desprotegido, locus de controle e o relato dos participantes sobre os efeitos do programa no cotidiano. Os resultados quantitativos, em ambas as instituições, não demonstraram diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre pré e pós intervenção nos dois instrumentos. A prevalência de uso na vida para o beber e fumar apresentaram-se acima da média nacional. Diminuíram os episódios de beber excessivo e aumentaram as respostas sobre o beber moderado, de 1 a 2 doses por ocasião. Os resultados qualitativos demonstraram que as habilidades de vida relacionadas ao autocontrole ajudam diante de situações de estresse na família, com amigos, na escola e com parceiros. Com relação aos comportamentos de risco, as habilidades mais frequentemente associadas foram tomada de decisão e pensamento crítico. Conclui-se que a aprendizagem cognitiva sobre como utilizar as habilidades de vida pode facilitar respostas mais ajustadas em situações futuras. Nos relatos observa-se mudanças de comportamento como pausar antes de agir, refletir antes de decidir, ouvir com atenção e adotar comportamentos saudáveis para lidar com o estresse. / Adolescence is a period of vulnerabilities for risk behaviors. Because of the physical and psychological changes in puberty, the need to seek novelties and the beginning of sexual behavior, the adolescent is left more vulnerable to begin behaviors like smoking, drinking and having unprotected sex. To promote health and increase the adolescent psychosocial competence, the World Health Organization recommends a program of Life Skills Training. This program consists of ten skills (emotional, cognitive and social) that increase the ability of the youth to adopt positive and adaptive behaviors when confronted with quotidian situations. They are: self-knowledge, dealing with emotions and with stress, effective communication, interpersonal relationships, empathy, critical thought, creative thought, taking decisions and problem resolutions. The literature shows that this group of skills promotes health among adolescents and prevents risk behaviors. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of a program of Life Skills Training on risk behavior and Locus of Control among adolescents who attend a professionalizing institution. Forty five adolescents from two institutions in the city of Ribeirão Preto participated in this study, the institutions having 24 and 21 participants respectively. Their ages were between 14 and 17 and 11 months, the population was mostly masculine and the majority was students. They were divided into 8 groups, 4 from each institution, during the years 2003 and 2004, with the mean of 6 participants per group. Sixteen meetings were held, one per week, with durations of one and half hours at one institution and one hour at the other. To evaluate the intervention, at the 4th and 15th meeting two questionnaires were used, one about risk behavior for health and the other a scale of Locus of Control from Levenson. At the 16th meeting a group interview was conducted. Between the 5th and the 14th meeting the Life Skills were developed at the rate of one per meeting. The methodology used was interactive and participative, using games, role-plays and discussions. The dependent variables were: risk behavior for tobacco use, alcohol use, illicit drugs, unprotected sex, Locus of Control and the report of the participants about the effects of the program in their quotidian. The quantitative outcomes, in both institutions, didnt show statistical significant difference between pre and post intervention for any of the instruments. The prevalence of life use for drinking and smoking were above the national mean. Episodes of excessive drinking decreased while responses to moderate drinking increased, about 1 to 2 per occasion. The qualitative results showed that the Life Skills related to self control helped when confronted with stress situations within the family, between friends, in the school and between partners. With relation to risk behaviors, the skills more associated were decision making and critical thought. It was concluded that cognitive learning about how to use the life skills can facilitate responses more adjusted in future situations. In the reports it is possible to observe changes in behaviors such as pausing before acting, reflecting before deciding, an increase in attention span and the adopting of healthy behavior in dealing with stress.

Backrounds: The period of adolescence is characterized by the search for own identity, part of which can be experimenting with addictive substance or other forms of risk behavior may occur. The occurrence of risk behavior can also be affected by a stereotypical place during staying in institutional care. In institutional care there is further emotional mistress due to lack of interaction with primary person and lack of satisfaction of the emotional needs of a person. Objectives: The aim of my thesis is to describe the attachment types and personality characteristics showing the positive relation in connection with the risk behavior and to map correlation between these two phenomena. Another aim is to map the phenomenon of use of tobacco and to describe it in connection with the attachment types. Study sample: The study sample was consisted by 78 girls from the institutional treatment institutes in the Czech Republic in the age range of 13-18 years old. Methods: The data was gained through the questionnaires: questionnaire of demographic facts and situation of using the addictive substances in adolescent (Meyers, K. & al., 1995), questionnaire of the relation structure ECR-RS (Fraley & al., 2011) and questionnaire SURPS of the personality characteristics introducing the risk of use of the addictive...

In my diploma thesis I want to find out how teachers at selected schools in West Bohemia evaluate the program of specific general primary prevention in the area of sexual risk behavior "Prevention of unplanned pregnancies and abortions", which pupils of 9th grades of their schools complete. I chose the topic as a continuation of my bachelor thesis, which dealt with the evaluation of the results of this program. So what educational, preventive and preventive effect does the program have for pupils as participants in the program. The aim of this work is to find out how teachers evaluate the program and whether they perceive place for improvement. The conclusions of the work can contribute to further improving the quality and effectiveness of the program. Keywords: risk behavior|primary prevention|preventive program|pregnancy|adoption|abortion

Some early puberty girls engage in high-risk externalizing behaviors such as early sexual activity, delinquent behavior, and disruptive behaviors. Harsh parenting experienced by girls who develop early has been associated with delinquent and disruptive behaviors. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine predictive relationships between the style of parental discipline by mothers of early puberty girls and the likelihood and frequency of the girls' engagement in high-risk behaviors. Parenting style theory, including the authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive style of parenting, served as the theoretical foundation for the study. Survey data were collected from 28 mothers who identified as having a daughter who experienced early puberty. The Parenting Scale subscales were used to measure the dysfunctional parenting behaviors of laxness, overreactivity, and verbosity. Logistic regression analysis revealed no statistically significant relationships between the early puberty girl's involvement in risky behaviors and dysfunctional parenting. Results may be used by human service and public health officials to increase awareness of early puberty and to promote public health policies to address the individual, social, and economic implications of early puberty in girls.