title: Health risk behaviors among California college students.
abstract: Health risk behaviors among students attending 4-year colleges in California were examined. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey for College Students was administered in a two-stage (29 universities, 5,652 students) random sample. All campuses and 3,810 (69%) students participated in the survey. In the 30 days preceding the survey, 36.7% of the students had binged at least once while drinking; 25.3% had driven after consuming alcohol; 32% had ridden in a car with someone who had been drinking; 17.6% had used marijuana; and 6% had carried a knife, gun, or club. More than half of the students who were sexually active and not married or living with a primary partner had not used a condom the last time they had sexual intercourse. Only 5% of regular bicycle riders always wore a helmet. Fewer than half (44%) reported aerobic physical activity on 3 or more of the preceding 7 days. The results of this study indicate a substantial amount of serious, risky health behaviors among California college students.
authors.affiliation: California College Health 2000 (CCH 2000), San Diego State University, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Patrick
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Covin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fulop
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Calfas
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lovato
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002140:California; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data