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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
S. Liliana Escobar-Chaves, MPH, Center for Health Promotion Research and Development, University of Texas School of Public Health, 7000 Fannin, Ste 2610E, Houston, TX 77030, 713-500-9637, lescobar@sph.uth.tmc.edu, Susan Tortolero, PhD, Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, University of Texas - Houston, 7000 Fannin, Ste 2622, Houston, TX 77030, Steven H Kelder, PhD, MPH, Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, UT-Houston School of Public Health, 7000 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030, Christine M. Markham, MA, Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, University of Texas-Houston, 7000 Fannin, Ste 2610C, Houston, TX 77030, and Asha Kapadia, PhD, School of Public Health, University of Texas, 1200 Herman Pressler, Houston, TX 77030.
Objectives: To determine the relationship between media consumption and aggression among alternative school youth in Houston, Texas. Methods: Data from 490 students were collected via audio-enabled laptop computers. Results: The population was predominantly female (57.1%) and Latinos (56.5%). Prevalence of violence-related behavior was 56.9%: 33.8% of students were involved in a physical fight, 23.1% were involved in a physical fight and carried a weapon. TV and VCR were the dominant media (95.3% and 92.2%). Over half of the students reported having a TV (86.3%), VCR (60.7%), and video game player (52.7%) in their bedroom. Students watched an average of 22.6 hours of TV per week. Among students who were asked whether they liked to watch violent TV (n=365), 82% endorsed the item. Fighting was significantly associated with hours of TV consumption after controlling for gender (p<0.05). Students who reported preference for violent TV had a 3.4 increased odds of being involved in a physical fight and a 3.2 increased odds of being involved in a physical fight and carrying a weapon when adjusted for gender, age, ethnicity, and parent education. Prediction of aggression by hours of TV consumption was significantly different for males and females with the association being stronger for males (0.262 vs. 1.85 beta coefficient). Prediction of aggression by preference for violent TV programs was statistically significant for females only (0.150 ß-coefficient, p<0.05). Conclusions: Among Houston alternative school students hours of TV consumption and preference for violent TV increase the risk of aggressive behavior.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Youth Violence, Media
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: N/A
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.