The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #58567

Emmanuel Rudatsikira, MD, MPH, Department of International Health, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Nichol Hall, Room 1318, Hill Drive, Loma Linda, CA CA 92350, 909-558-4902, erudatsikira@sph.llu.edu, Pramil Singh, DrPH, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Nichol Hall, Hill Drive, Loma Linda, CA CA 92354, and Jayakaran Job, MD, DrPH, Department of International Health, Epidemiology and Preventive Medecine, Schools of Public Health and Medicine, Loma Linda University, Nichol Hall, Hill Drive, Loma Linda, CA CA 92354.

Methodology: The 542 study respondents were given a self-administered modified version of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The anonymous questionnaire assessed weapon carrying in the 30 days preceding the survey.

Results: Almost fourteen percent of students reported carrying weapons during the past 30 days. Three percent reported carrying guns during the past month. Over four percent reported carrying weapons on school property during the same time period. Being victimized either socially or physically was significantly associated with weapon use, OR = 6.54, 95% CI (2.94, 14.57). Stratified by gender, the OR was 5.62 (2.30, 13.8) for males and 10.03 (1.30, 77.3) for females. Being victimized either socially or physically was significantly associated with experience with violence, OR = 3.26, 95% CI (2.20, 4.83). Stratified by gender, the OR was 3.39 (1.93, 5.97) for males and 3.02 (1.69, 5.39) for females.

Conclusions: Among middle school students in Southern California we found that victimization was strongly associated with weapons carrying and violence. Social victimization was a contributor to this association in girls; physical victimization was the primary contributor in boys. These findings raise the possibility that violence prevention programs in the schools may need to employ gender-specific approaches.

Learning Objectives:

• To privide information on the relationship between demographic characteristics, social characteristics, and victimization behaviors to the self-reported carrying of weapons and experience of violence among middle school students.

Keywords: School Health, Violence Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.