title: [Feelings of discrimination among students: prevalence and associated factors].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the prevalence of and factors associated with feelings of discrimination among students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study with a representative sample of 1,170 students from a total of 2,282 students enrolled in the 7th grade of an elementary school of the city of Gravataí, Southern Brazil, in 2005. Participants were selected by conglomerate random sampling. Data were obtained from self-applied instruments (Global School-based Student Health Survey, Body Shape Questionnaire, socioeconomic classification) that were completed in the classroom. Cox regression, modified for cross-sectional studies, was employed, according to a four-stage hierarchical model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of feelings of discrimination was 21.0%. These feelings were more prevalent among: girls (PR=1.93, 95% CI 1.51;2.46); those showing school absenteeism (PR=1.54, 95% CI 1.21;1.97); those who had used tobacco in their lives (PR=1.53, 95% CI 1.18;1.98); those concerned about their body image (PR=1.42, 95% CI 1.07;1.88); those with feelings of loneliness (PR=2.50, 95% CI 1.80;3.46) and sadness (PR=1.29, 95% CI 1.02;1.62); those with sleep difficulties (PR:1.41, 95% CI 1.08;1.83); those with suicidal ideation (PR=1.45, 95% CI 1.13;1.85) and those who had suffered some type of accidental (PR=1.56, 95% CI 1.23;1.97) or intentional injury (PR=2.04, 95% CI 1.51;2.76).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Feelings of discrimination were associated with sex and experience with tobacco. Its association with psychosocial factors indicates the coexistence of adverse situations, such as dissatisfaction with body image, depressive symptoms and presence of insults. These findings show the importance of health professionals and teachers acting together to identify these feelings early on, and guide and follow adolescents facing such situations.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Luterana do Brasil, Canoas, RS, Brazil. enf.bittencourt@gmail.com
authors.forename: Alex Avelino
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Bittencourt
authors.forename: Denise Rangel Ganzo de Castro
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Aerts
authors.forename: Gehysa Guimarães
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Lílian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Palazzo
authors.forename: Lisiane
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.forename: Patrícia Conzatti
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: Silvia Letícia
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Freddo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001828:Body Image; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011287:Prejudice; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires