Abstract

LIMA, Celina Aparecida Gonçalves et al. Risk behavior prevalence in a brazilian university of population. Psic., Saúde & Doenças [online]. 2018, vol.19, n.2, pp.278-292. ISSN 1645-0086.  https://doi.org/10.15309/18psd190210.

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of health risk behaviors of university students in a public institution in the north of Minas Gerais. Cross-sectional study with a random cluster sampling in two stages. It was used the questionnaire Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) to check the health risk behaviors related to: personal safety, suicide intent, smoking, alcohol consumption and illicit drug use, sexual behavior, nutrition and physical activity. The variables analyzed were quantified by absolute and relative frequencies, with correction for the design effect (deff). The health risk behaviors were described for each gender. The sample consisted of 902 students, mostly female and aged up to 21 years. The risk behaviors that presented highest prevalence were: no use of seat belts (34.7%), social alcohol consumption (45.7%), abusive (29.2%), or associated with automobile use (39.6%), no use of preservative during sexual intercourse in the last month (63.1%), or at the last sexual intercourse (42.3%), low consumption of fruits (87.7%) and embedded consumption ( 47.9%). It was concluded that young people showed behaviors put their health in risk, especially poor diet, low fruit consumption and the high consumption of embedded, the absence of preservatives during sexual intercourses and alcohol consumption, as well as the simultaneous exposure of two or more risk behaviors. It is suggested intervention work and educational activities in the academic environment, to minimize the risks which the students are exposed.

Keywords : risk behavior; university; prevalence.

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