Racial, ethnic, and sex differences in the associations between violence and self-reported health among US high school students.
BACKGROUND
Involvement in interpersonal violence or suicidal behaviors can have a significant impact on an adolescent's physical health. Similarly, previous research has suggested that lived experiences, more than the presence or absence of physical ailments, can significantly influence self-assessed health status among adolescents. The purpose of this study was to examine the cross-sectional associations between involvement in violence and poor or fair self-reported health among US high school students.


METHODS
Data were obtained from the 2005 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (n = 13,953). Logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the associations between violence-related measures and self-reported health while controlling for demographic characteristics and potential confounders. Analyses are presented for students overall and stratified by sex and race/ethnicity.


RESULTS
Overall, 7.2% of students reported fair or poor self-rated health. Having been in a physical fight, having been injured in a physical fight, having attempted suicide, and having not gone to school because of safety concerns were significantly associated with fair or poor self-rated health after controlling for demographic characteristics and other potential confounders. Differences associated with race/ethnicity and sex are identified.


CONCLUSIONS
Four of the 5 violence-related measures included in these analyses were significantly associated with fair or poor self-rated health. Future studies should consider the impact of involvement in violent behaviors and perceptions of both physical and mental well-being.
Bossarte
Robert M
RM
Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14262, USA. robert_bossarte@urmc.rochester.edu
Swahn
Monica H
MH
Breiding
Matt
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012737:Sex Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*