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Medicina Fluminensis : Medicina Fluminensis, Vol. 44 No. 1, 2008.

Professional paper

Prevalence of adolescent risk behaviour: questionnaire study

Đulija Malatestinić ; Department of public health Primorsko goranska county, Rijeka, Croatia
Darko Roviš ; Department of public health Primorsko goranska county, Rijeka, Croatia
Andrea Mataija-Redžović ; Department of public health Primorsko goranska county, Rijeka, Croatia
Jagoda Dabo ; Department of public health Primorsko goranska county, Rijeka, Croatia
Suzana Janković ; Department of public health Primorsko goranska county, Rijeka, Croatia

Full text: croatian pdf 590 Kb

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Abstract

ABSTRACT. Aim: To determine the prevalence of risk behaviours, including smoking, alcohol
and psychoactive drug consumption among adolescents in grammar schools. Methods: The
survey was conducted among adolescents in Primorsko-goranska County in Croatia in 2005.
The prevalence of smokers, alcohol, and psychoactive drug consumers in 1.682
representative sample adolescents in Primorsko-goranska county was determined by means
of valid self-reported questionnaires. The adolescents were stratified according to gender
and type of secondary school. Results: Approximately half (49.0%) of the students smoked
cigarettes. Every third student smoked cigarettes every day and several times a week, while
77% of students consumed beer, wine and alcoholic beverages occasionally. The frequency
of illicit drug consumption (occasional, several times a month, several times a week and
every day) ranged from 0.4% for opiates and amphetamines to 10.4% for marihuana. Girls
consumed more cigarettes several time a week and every day than boys, whereas boys
consumed more beer, wine, and marihuana. Conclusions: Most adolescents had personal
experience with substance use, mostly tobacco, alcohol and marihuana. First contact with
alcohol and tobacco usually occured during elementary school, and with marihuana during
the first year of high school. Comprehensive program of health promotion and drug
prevention should be implemented in the lower grades of elementary school as the possible
most effective strategy to combat adolescence risk behaviour.

Keywords

adolescents; prevalence; substance use

Hrčak ID:

25955

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/25955

Publication date:

1.6.2008.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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