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A YRBS Survey of Youth Risk Behaviors at Alternative High Schools and Mainstream High Schools in Hong Kong
Author(s) -
Lee Albert,
Tsang Clement K. K.,
Lee Shiuhung,
To Choyee
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of school health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.851
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1746-1561
pISSN - 0022-4391
DOI - 10.1111/j.1746-1561.2001.tb07321.x
Subject(s) - mainstream , intervention (counseling) , health risk , psychology , health education , substance abuse , medicine , environmental health , medical education , clinical psychology , public health , psychiatry , nursing , philosophy , theology
ABSTRACT In Hong Kong, prevocational schools serve as an alternative to mainstream schools to provide education with more emphasis on practical and technical subjects. In this paper, health‐risk behaviors of prevocational school (PVS) students were identified, and comparisons of health‐risk behaviors with or without adjusting the demographic factors from prevocational schools and mainstream schools were made. The PVS students were at higher risk for most categories of health‐risk behaviors such as unintentional and intentional injuries, smoking, alcohol drinking, glue sniffing, inadequate physical activity, insufficient consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, and early sexual activity with multiple partners. Female students of PVS reported higher prevalence of emotional problems and substance abuse. Findings suggest that the school environment is an influential factor on the lifestyle behavior of students. Comprehensive health education and intervention programs are needed for youth in Hong Kong prevocational schools.