Anne E Becker1,2, Alexandra Perloe2, Lauren Richards3, Andrea L Roberts4, Asenaca Bainivualiku5, A Nisha Khan6, Kesaia Navara7, Stephen E Gilman4, Bill Aalbersberg8, Ruth H Striegel-Moore9. 1. Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. 2. Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. 3. Department of Psychology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA. 4. Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. 5. University of Victoria, Vancouver, Canada. 6. Ministry of Health, Suva, Fiji. 7. Narata Village, Fiji. 8. University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji. 9. Department of Psychology, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, USA.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The HEALTHY Fiji Study examines the impact of social transition on health risk behaviors among school-going ethnic Fijian adolescent girls. The primary aim of the present study was to assess prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of three risk behaviors, alcohol use, cigarette smoking, and unsafe sexual behavior in the study population. METHODS: We used an adapted version of the Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS) to assess health risk behaviors in a school-based sample of ethnic Fijian girls (n=523) in June and July 2007. We calculated prevalence of risk behaviors and then examined their relation to socio-demographic variables in logistic regression models. RESULTS: Prevalence estimates for any current alcohol use and cigarette smoking (20.1% and 17.6%) and lifetime history of sexual intercourse (20.8%) indicate that substantial percentage of this study sample has engaged in one of these health risk behaviors. Alcohol use was associated with two other risk behaviors, recurrent cigarette smoking and lifetime history of sexual intercourse. Although prevalence of alcohol use was lower than in several other Pacific populations, it was higher than previously reported among Fijian girls. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of alcohol use, cigarette smoking, and unsafe sexual behaviors in this study population warrants concern. Comparison with estimates from previous health behavior surveys in Fiji suggest that mode of assessment may impact prevalence estimates for health risk behaviors.
INTRODUCTION: The HEALTHY Fiji Study examines the impact of social transition on health risk behaviors among school-going ethnic Fijian adolescent girls. The primary aim of the present study was to assess prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of three risk behaviors, alcohol use, cigarette smoking, and unsafe sexual behavior in the study population. METHODS: We used an adapted version of the Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS) to assess health risk behaviors in a school-based sample of ethnic Fijian girls (n=523) in June and July 2007. We calculated prevalence of risk behaviors and then examined their relation to socio-demographic variables in logistic regression models. RESULTS: Prevalence estimates for any current alcohol use and cigarette smoking (20.1% and 17.6%) and lifetime history of sexual intercourse (20.8%) indicate that substantial percentage of this study sample has engaged in one of these health risk behaviors. Alcohol use was associated with two other risk behaviors, recurrent cigarette smoking and lifetime history of sexual intercourse. Although prevalence of alcohol use was lower than in several other Pacific populations, it was higher than previously reported among Fijian girls. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of alcohol use, cigarette smoking, and unsafe sexual behaviors in this study population warrants concern. Comparison with estimates from previous health behavior surveys in Fiji suggest that mode of assessment may impact prevalence estimates for health risk behaviors.
Authors: Nancy D Brener; Laura Kann; Tim McManus; Steven A Kinchen; Elizabeth C Sundberg; James G Ross Journal: J Adolesc Health Date: 2002-10 Impact factor: 5.012
Authors: Aaron M White; Jon G Bae; Melanie C Truesdale; Sukaina Ahmad; Wilkie A Wilson; H Scott Swartzwelder Journal: Alcohol Clin Exp Res Date: 2002-07 Impact factor: 3.455