Violence-related behaviours among Malaysian adolescents: a cross sectional survey among secondary school students in Negeri Sembilan.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of violence-related behaviours among adolescents and the factors associated with it.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional school survey conducted on 4500 adolescent students, using a structured questionnaire. Data were collected using the supervised self-administered questionnaire [a modified version of the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance in the Malaysian National Language (Bahasa Malaysia)].


RESULTS
Our study showed that 27.9% of students had been involved in a physical fight, 6.6% had been injured in a fight, 5.9% had carried a weapon, 7.2% had felt unsafe, 18.5% had had their money stolen and 55.0% had had their property stolen. Adolescents who carried weapons to school, smoked, used drugs, felt sad or hopeless and played truant were more likely to be involved in physical fights after adjusting for age, sex, and ethnicity.


CONCLUSIONS
Violence-related behaviours among adolescents, especially involvement in physical fights, are common and are positively associated with certain factors such as smoking, taking drugs, playing truant, feeling sad or hopeless. Interventions designed at targeting adolescent violence should also address these factors and target the high-risk groups. There may be a need to identify and provide services for adolescents who exhibit these factors.
Lee
Lai-Kah
LK
Department of Community Medicine, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. laikah_lee@imu.edu.my
Chen
Paul C Y
PC
Lee
Kick-Kit
KK
Kaur
Jagmohni
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014505:Urban Population; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*