Gender Differences in Risk Behaviors Among High School Youth

Overview

Journal Glob Adv Health Med

Specialty Public Health

Date 2014 Jan 14

PMID 24416689

Citations 17

Authors

Sharon A Petronella Croisant

Tabassum Haque Laz

Mahbubur Rahman

Abbey B Berenson

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) demonstrates that American youth engage in a wide variety of risky behaviors.(1) The frequency and type of these behaviors often differ by a number of factors, such as socioeconomic status, race, and ethnicity. For example, results of the 2011 YRBSS revealed that white high school students were most likely to have texted or e-mailed while driving or been bullied on school property, while black high school students were most likely to have engaged in risky sexual behaviors, to have been physically inactive, and to be obese.(1) Conversely, Hispanic high school students were most likely to have ridden with a driver who had been drinking alcohol; to have ever used cocaine, inhalants, or ecstasy; and to have failed to use protection to prevent pregnancy during last sexual intercourse.(1) However, it is difficult to discern whether differences in risk-taking behaviors between and among ethnic groups can actually be attributed to differences in group norms, socioeconomic status, or cultural beliefs regarding acceptance or rejection of such behaviors,(1) suggesting a need for more comprehensive regional investigations.

Citing Articles

Trends in depressive symptoms among high school students with and without health-risk behaviors in the United States: A population-based study.

Bommersbach T, Olfson M, Rhee T Lancet Reg Health Am. 2025; 42:101000.

PMID: 39906085 PMC: 11790505. DOI: 10.1016/j.lana.2025.101000.

Aboagye R, Mohammed A, Duodu P, Adnani Q, Seidu A, Ahinkorah B Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy. 2024; 19(1):41.

PMID: 39237953 PMC: 11375970. DOI: 10.1186/s13011-024-00619-5.

Belonging matters: The impact of social identification with classmates, friends, and family on interpersonal distance and bullying/cyberbullying in adolescence.

Wei J, Candini M, Menabo L, Guarini A, Rubini M, Frassinetti F PLoS One. 2024; 19(2):e0297370.

PMID: 38319947 PMC: 10846719. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297370.

The effectiveness of an m-Health intervention on the sexual and reproductive health of in-school adolescents: a cluster randomized controlled trial in Nigeria.

Akande O, Muzigaba M, Igumbor E, Elimian K, Bolarinwa O, Musa O Reprod Health. 2024; 21(1):6.

PMID: 38218840 PMC: 10788027. DOI: 10.1186/s12978-023-01735-4.

Gender differences in teenager bullying dynamics and predictors of peer-to-peer intimidation.

Useche S, Valle-Escolano R, Valle E, Colomer-Perez N Heliyon. 2023; 9(9):e20243.

PMID: 37809814 PMC: 10560019. DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20243.

References

Temple J, Van Den Berg P, Thomas J, Northcutt J, Thomas C, Freeman Jr D . Teen dating violence and substance use following a natural disaster: does evacuation status matter?. Am J Disaster Med. 2011; 6(4):201-6. PMC: 3292852. DOI: 10.5055/ajdm.2011.0059. View

Rhodes N, Pivik K . Age and gender differences in risky driving: the roles of positive affect and risk perception. Accid Anal Prev. 2011; 43(3):923-31. DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2010.11.015. View

Chou S, Dawson D, Stinson F, Huang B, Pickering R, Zhou Y . The prevalence of drinking and driving in the United States, 2001-2002: results from the national epidemiological survey on alcohol and related conditions. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2005; 83(2):137-46. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2005.11.001. View

Brady S, Song A, Halpern-Felsher B . Adolescents report both positive and negative consequences of experimentation with cigarette use. Prev Med. 2008; 46(6):585-90. PMC: 2486337. DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2008.01.019. View

Lowry R, Wechsler H, Galuska D, Fulton J, Kann L . Television viewing and its associations with overweight, sedentary lifestyle, and insufficient consumption of fruits and vegetables among US high school students: differences by race, ethnicity, and gender. J Sch Health. 2003; 72(10):413-21. DOI: 10.1111/j.1746-1561.2002.tb03551.x. View

Nkansah-Amankra S, Diedhiou A, Agbanu H, Harrod C, Dhawan A . Correlates of sexual risk behaviors among high school students in Colorado: analysis and implications for school-based HIV/AIDS programs. Matern Child Health J. 2010; 15(6):730-41. DOI: 10.1007/s10995-010-0634-3. View

Williams A, Leaf W, Simons-Morton B, Hartos J . Parents' views of teen driving risks, the role of parents, and how they plan to manage the risks. J Safety Res. 2006; 37(3):221-6. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsr.2006.04.002. View

Cavazos-Rehg P, Krauss M, Spitznagel E, Schootman M, Peipert J, Cottler L . Type of contraception method used at last intercourse and associations with health risk behaviors among US adolescents. Contraception. 2010; 82(6):549-55. PMC: 2993018. DOI: 10.1016/j.contraception.2010.05.007. View

Eaton D, Kann L, Kinchen S, Shanklin S, Ross J, Hawkins J . Youth risk behavior surveillance - United States, 2009. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2010; 59(5):1-142. View

10.

Lundborg P, Andersson H . Gender, risk perceptions, and smoking behavior. J Health Econ. 2008; 27(5):1299-311. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2008.03.003. View

11.

Buckman J, Yusko D, Farris S, White H, Pandina R . Risk of marijuana use in male and female college student athletes and nonathletes. J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2011; 72(4):586-91. PMC: 3125882. DOI: 10.15288/jsad.2011.72.586. View

12.

Gupta G . Gender, sexuality, and HIV/AIDS: the what, the why, and the how. Can HIV AIDS Policy Law Rev. 2002; 5(4):86-93. View

13.

Dworkin S, Fullilove R, Peacock D . Are HIV/AIDS prevention interventions for heterosexually active men in the United States gender-specific?. Am J Public Health. 2009; 99(6):981-4. PMC: 2679798. DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2008.149625. View

14.

Guttman N, Gesser-Edelsburg A . "The little squealer" or "the virtual guardian angel"? Young drivers' and their parents' perspective on using a driver monitoring technology and its implications for parent-young driver communication. J Safety Res. 2011; 42(1):51-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsr.2010.11.001. View

15.

Hanna E, Yi H, Dufour M, Whitmore C . The relationship of early-onset regular smoking to alcohol use, depression, illicit drug use, and other risky behaviors during early adolescence: results from the youth supplement to the third national health and nutrition examination survey. J Subst Abuse. 2001; 13(3):265-82. DOI: 10.1016/s0899-3289(01)00077-3. View

16.

Cail J, LaBrie J . Disparity between the perceived alcohol-related attitudes of parents and peers increases alcohol risk in college students. Addict Behav. 2009; 35(2):135-9. PMC: 3394678. DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2009.09.019. View

17.

Castrucci B, Gerlach K, Kaufman N, Orleans C . The association among adolescents' tobacco use, their beliefs and attitudes, and friends' and parents' opinions of smoking. Matern Child Health J. 2002; 6(3):159-67. DOI: 10.1023/a:1019774028526. View

18.

Wilson F, Stimpson J . Trends in fatalities from distracted driving in the United States, 1999 to 2008. Am J Public Health. 2010; 100(11):2213-9. PMC: 2951952. DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2009.187179. View

19.

Amos A, Greaves L, Nichter M, Bloch M . Women and tobacco: a call for including gender in tobacco control research, policy and practice. Tob Control. 2011; 21(2):236-43. DOI: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2011-050280. View

20.

Nazareth I, Walker C, Ridolfi A, Aluoja A, Bellon J, Geerlings M . Heavy episodic drinking in Europe: a cross section study in primary care in six European countries. Alcohol Alcohol. 2011; 46(5):600-6. DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agr078. View