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

Abstract #59290

Juan C. Reyes, EdDc¹, Margarita R Moscoso, PhD², Carmen N Vélez, PhD³, Rafaela R. Robles, EdD¹, Hector M. Colón, PhD¹, Iris C Parrilla, MS⁴, and Gilberto Ramos, DrPH³. (1) Center for Addiction Studies, School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe, PO Box 60327, Bayamón, PR 00960-6032, 787-288-0200, jcreyes@uccaribe.edu, (2) School of Education /Department of Family Medicine, University of Puerto Rico /Universidad Central Del Caribe, PO Box 23303, San Juan, PR 00931, (3) School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, Po Box 365067, San Juan, PR 00936, (4) Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Universidad Central del Caribe, P.O. Box 60-327, Bayamon, PR 00960-6032

During the past decade, youth violence has received increasing attention as a major public health issue in Puerto Rico as well as in the continental United States. This study sought to identify risk and protective factors of youth violence in a representative sample of school adolescents in Puerto Rico. Risk and protective factors were grouped into five domains: individual, family, peer group, school and community. A violence index was calculated from four questions asked of the last 12 months: carrying a gun, hurting someone so bad that required medical treatment, gang membership, and having been arrested by the police. From a total of 2,385 participants, 10.7% reported at least one violent behavior and 3.4% reported two or more violent behaviors. In multiple regression analysis the risk factors identified were male gender (B= 0.04, p = 0.04), junior grade students (B=-0.03, p < 0.01), having a favorable attitude towards antisocial behavior (B=0.05, p = 0.02), use of ecstasy (B=0.24, p < 0.01), involvement with antisocial peers (B=0.19, p < 0.01), reporting antisocial parents (B=0.08, p < 0.01). Participation in family decisions and activities (B=0.07, p = 0.04) was the only protective factor significantly associated with violence in the multivariate regression. Findings from this study could have important implications for the development of preventive intervention programs for the Hispanic adolescent population in Puerto Rico. Comparative studies of violent acts among Hispanic adolescents in different U.S. sites might help illuminate the role of culture in facilitating or preventing these behaviors.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify risk and protective factors that are related to youth violence in a Hispanic population.
• Discuss the implications of these findings for the development of prevention programs that address youth violence.

Keywords: Youth Violence, Hispanic Youth

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.