Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #121206

Melissa Cristal Mercado-Crespo, MSc¹, Carmen N. Vélez-Santori, PhD¹, Gilberto Ramos-Valencia, DrPH¹, and Margarita R. Moscoso, PhD². (1) Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico- Medical Sciences Campus, PO Box 1095, Trujillo Alto, PR 00977-1095, 787-748-4202, mcristalmc@gmail.com, (2) School of Education /Department of Family Medicine, University of Puerto Rico /Universidad Central Del Caribe, PO Box 23303, San Juan, PR 00931

Background: Youth violence is a serious public health problem. In Puerto Rico (PR), it is the fourth cause of death among children aged 10-14, who comprised 21% of all intentional injuries reported to PR's Trauma Registry-2003. Although there are many national and local surveys of 7th-12th grade students measuring violent behavior, data on younger children is scarce. The purpose of this investigation was to estimate the prevalence of youth violence risk factors among school-children ages 9 to 13.

Methods: A secondary analysis of data from an island-wide representative sample of all 5th and 6th grade students in public and private schools in PR (n=7,939) was carried out. The sample was selected by "Consulta Juvenil: V" project through a multistage stratified cluster sampling design, sponsored by Puerto Rico's Mental Health and Addiction Services Administration. Risk factors were classified as individual, family, school-based, peer-influence, situational or community-related factors, and analyzed in relation to the violent behavior reported by the children surveyed.

Results: The prevalence of at least one violent incident among preadolescents in PR was 43%, school-violence being most common. Contrary to studies with middle and high school students in PR and in the U.S., individual, family and school-based risk factors were responsible of the most variability in violent behavior, whereas peer-influence, situational and community-based risk factors contributed the least. Being male and of higher grade level was responsible of the greatest change of units in the violence index. Church-attendance was identified as a significant protective factor.

Conclusions: Findings were consistent with literature stating violent behavior varies according to the type and quantity of risk factors present in the individual. Further, longitudinal studies are recommended, as well as the development of a violence surveillance system in Puerto Rico.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Describe the six categories of risk factors related to youth violence among 5th – 6th grade students in Puerto Rico.
• 2. List the risk factors that most influence violent behavior among school-children in Puerto Rico, ages 9 to 13.
• 3. Assess the importance of developing a violence surveillance system in Puerto Rico.
• 4. Recognize the need to develop violence prevention programs during elementary school-grade levels.

Keywords: Youth Violence, Adolescents

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.