title: Health risk behaviors in parentally bereaved youth.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether parentally bereaved offspring are more likely to engage in health risk behaviors than nonbereaved control offspring.
  
  
  METHODS
  Controlled population-based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bereaved families were recruited from coroner records and by advertisement. Control families were recruited using random-digit dialing and by advertisement.
  
  
  METHODS
  At 9.0 months after the death, 186 offspring aged 7 to 25 years of parents who died of suicide, accident, or sudden natural death were compared with 167 nonbereaved control offspring.
  
  
  METHODS
  The association of bereavement with health risk behaviors was examined. The prevalences of health risk behaviors on the Youth Risk Behavior Questionnaire were compared between bereaved and nonbereaved offspring. Risk behaviors surveyed were related to unintentional injury, violence, sexual behavior, cigarette smoking, and alcohol or other drug use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistically significant difference was noted in the examined health risk behaviors between bereaved and nonbereaved offspring.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bereaved offspring did not engage in more health risk behaviors compared with nonbereaved offspring. Primary care physicians counseling youth should inquire about health risk behaviors in general.
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 3811 O'Hara St, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muñiz-Cohen
authors.forename: Nadine M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Melhem
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Brent
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001601:Bereavement; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D012309:Risk-Taking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires