Resumo

CAMACHO, Inês et al. Regional differences in health and risk behaviors of portuguese adolescents. Psic., Saúde & Doenças [online]. 2016, vol.17, n.3, pp.368-381. ISSN 1645-0086.  https://doi.org/10.15309/16psd170305.

This study goal is to understand the health and risk behaviours in the Portuguese adolescents, across the most relevant Portuguese geographical regions (North, Central region, Lisbon and Great Lisbon, Alentejo and Algarve). Furthermore, we aim to analyse some macroeconomic factors in these different regions and it's relation with the health and risk behaviours in Portuguese adolescents. This study includes adolescents who are part of the HBSC project/study- Health Behaviour in School-aged Children from 2014, in Portugal, and the sample analysed has 6026 adolescents from the 6^th, 8^th and 10^th grade. The results show the existence of key differences between the several regions that have been analysed. The adolescents from the central region of Portugal, for example, show a healthier behaviours, better expectations on their futures and less risk behaviours. The adolescents from the Algarve, like to ones from Lisbon area, show the higher percentage of risk behaviours. This research reinforces the importance of understanding not only the differences between the several Portuguese regions, in respect to the health and risk behaviours in the adolescents, but also if these differences are associated to macroeconomic factors. In times of economic downturn it is crucial to set priorities in the key areas of Education and health of children and adolescents to assure that the governmental intervention decisions are aligned with the real needs of every single region of the country.

Palavras-chave : Adolescence; health; risk and regions.

        · resumo em Português     · texto em Português     · Português ( pdf )