We surveyed the risk-taking behaviour of students aged 16 years and over in two New Zealand high schools, with a particular focus on road safety, substance use, sexual behaviour and personal safety. The questionnaire was completed by 471 students, a participation rate of 99 per cent. We found that seven out of 10 students who had ridden either a bicycle or motorcycle in the previous 12 months had not always worn a helmet; that 56 per cent had driven a car without a licence; and 23 per cent had been involved in a motor vehicle crash. A lifetime incidence of 63 per cent for cigarette smoking, 34 per cent for marijuana use and 78 per cent for alcohol use was found. Forty per cent of the students reported ever having sexual intercourse. During the previous 12 months, 49 per cent of these had not always used contraceptives and 61 per cent reported not always wearing condoms as protection for sexually transmitted diseases. Twenty-five per cent had physically harmed another person and 10 per cent reported carrying a weapon with the intent of harming someone else. This study shows that adolescents are willing to provide information on risk taking and that they are engaging in high levels of health-harming behaviour. Such information is important for designing health promotion programs to address adolescent risk taking. (Aust N Z JPublic Health 1997; 21: 455-61) DOLESCENCE and young adulthood are often times when risks, such as not wearing A bicycle or motorcycle helmets and seatbelts, drink-driving, substance abuse, unprotected sexual intercourse and physical violence, are taken. However, these activities all have the potential to affect the health of young people and cause loss, concern and costs to all levels of society.'+ An initial step in designing strategies to address risk taking requires information on the level and range of such behaviours. While studies in Australia,' Europe,6 the United States (US)' and South AfricaB have addressed this need, no New Zealand (NZ) studies have provided a comprehensive view of all risk-taking behaviour. Within NZ the results of two longitudinal studies, the Christchurch Child Development S t~d y ,~J ' and the Dunedin Multi-disciplinary Health Development Study,''-13 have provided information on specific risk-taking behaviours. . Fax +64 9 373 7503. undertake a survey on risk-taking behaviours at the only secondary school in the rural community selected. To increase the study size and therefore increase the opportunity to provide potentially useful results, an urban secondary school was also included. This survey aimed: 1. to ascertain whether young people would provide information on risktaking behaviours; and 2. to provide baseline information on whether young people are involved in risk-taking behaviours. Method Sampling proceduresThe study population was all senior students (16 years and over) attending two coeducational secondary schools located within the Auckland and Northland regions in NZ. One was the only secondary school in the participating rural site for the Youth Hea...
Abstract:We surveyed the risk-taking behaviour of students aged 16 years and over in two New Zealand high schools, with a particular focus on road safety, substance use, sexual behaviour and personal safety. The questionnaire was completed by 471 students, a participation rate of 99 per cent. We found that seven out of 10 students who had ridden either a bicycle or motorcycle in the previous 12 months had not always worn a helmet; that 56 per cent had driven a car without a licence; and 23 per cent had been involved in a motor vehicle crash. A lifetime incidence of 63 per cent for cigarette smoking, 34 per cent for marijuana use and 78 per cent for alcohol use was found. Forty per cent of the students reported ever having sexual intercourse. During the previous 12 months, 49 per cent of these had not always used contraceptives and 61 per cent reported not always wearing condoms as protection for sexually transmitted diseases. Twenty-five per cent had physically harmed another person and 10 per cent reported carrying a weapon with the intent of harming someone else. This study shows that adolescents are willing to provide information on risk taking and that they are engaging in high levels of health-harming behaviour. Such information is important for designing health promotion programs to address adolescent risk taking. (Aust N Z JPublic Health 1997; 21: 455-61) DOLESCENCE and young adulthood are often times when risks, such as not wearing A bicycle or motorcycle helmets and seatbelts, drink-driving, substance abuse, unprotected sexual intercourse and physical violence, are taken. However, these activities all have the potential to affect the health of young people and cause loss, concern and costs to all levels of society.'+ An initial step in designing strategies to address risk taking requires information on the level and range of such behaviours. While studies in Australia,' Europe,6 the United States (US)' and South AfricaB have addressed this need, no New Zealand (NZ) studies have provided a comprehensive view of all risk-taking behaviour. Within NZ the results of two longitudinal studies, the Christchurch Child Development S t~d y ,~J ' and the Dunedin Multi-disciplinary Health Development Study,''-13 have provided information on specific risk-taking behaviours.The study on which this paper is based was developed as part of a wider project called the Youth Health Community Action Project, the aim of which was to obtain information to assist a community in developing strategies to enhance the health and wellbeing of its young pe0p1e.I~ One strategy was to undertake a survey on risk-taking behaviours at the only secondary school in the rural community selected. To increase the study size and therefore increase the opportunity to provide potentially useful results, an urban secondary school was also included. This survey aimed: 1. to ascertain whether young people would provide information on risktaking behaviours; and 2. to provide baseline information on whether young people are involved in risk-taking beh...
Providing a community with local information that has high relevance for its members may act as a stimulus for the development of injury prevention initiatives. While this case study illustrated that a comprehensive approach focusing on adolescent risk taking behaviour, rather than on isolated injury problems, may be an appropriate way to highlight escalating adolescent injury rates, it also demonstrates the limitations of a short time frame for a community development project.
It is increasingly acknowledged that suicidal behavior has a considerable impact on both individuals and society in terms of acute physical and mental health problems, long-term disability, and death, as well as quality of life and resource provision. In recent years there has been increasing concern about youth suicide rates. The escalation in suicide rates among individuals in the 15-24-year age group began around 1980 and has continued to rise. While this trend is evident in most OECD countries, the increase in New Zealand has been more substantial and sustained than in other countries. This article examines the occurrence of youth suicide in New Zealand. Next, an outline of New Zealand government and nongovernmental responses to youth suicide are presented. Finally, a variety of intervention options which take into account New Zealand societal conditions are outlined.
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