title: Differences in health status and health behaviour among young Swiss adults between 1993 and 2003.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Very few studies specifically have examined the health status of 20-year-olds. The purpose of the present study is to examine the changes in health status and behaviour among young Swiss adults between 1993 and 2003.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study used data from the Swiss Federal Surveys of Adolescents, conducted in 1993 and 2003 among 20-year-olds in Switzerland. The study sample included military recruits and a representative community cohort. More than 20,000 subjects participated in each survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Young adults in 2003 reported fewer traffic- and sports-related accidents, but more work-related and other accidents versus young adults in 1993. A greater percentage of men were overweight or obese in 2003. Also in 2003, a greater percentage of males and females regularly used alcohol, cigarettes and cannabis. In particular, the number that smoked cigarettes daily increased by almost 30% and daily cannabis users increased more than two-fold. Young adults reported higher rates of inter-personal violence and theft in 2003. Compared to 1993, in 2003 young adults were more likely to report a sense of coherence; they also had fewer thoughts of suicide, but a greater sense that life is meaningless.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study provides the first Swiss data comparing the health status of 20-year-olds a decade apart. The findings suggest a significant increase in substance use. Health prevention efforts among young adults ages 18-24 should focus on substance use. In addition, developing strategies to decrease interpersonal violence, delinquent behaviour, and obesity should be a major public health priority.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. m.mohler@ifspm.unizh.ch
authors.forename: Meichun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohler-Kuo
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wydler
authors.forename: Ueli
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Zellweger
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gutzwiller
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents / Q000639:trends; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D013405:Suicide / Q000639:trends; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000639:trends