RISK-TAKING BEHAVIORS IN A SAMPLE OF NEW-ZEALAND ADOLESCENTS

We surveyed the risk-taking behaviour of students aged 16 years and ov er in two New Zealand high schools, with a particular focus on road sa fety, substance use, sexual behaviour and personal safety. The questio nnaire was completed by 471 students, a participation rate of 99 per c ent. We found that seven out of TO students who had ridden either a bi cycle or motorcycle in the previous 12 months had not always worn a he lmet; that 56 per cent had driven a car without a licence; and 23 per cent had been involved in a motor vehicle crash. A lifetime incidence of 63 per cent for cigarette smoking, 34 per cent for marijuana use an d 78 per cent for alcohol use was found. Forty per cent of the student s reported ever having sexual intercourse. During the previous 12 mont hs, 49 per cent of these had not always used contraceptives and 61 per cent reported not always wearing condoms as protection for sexually t ransmitted diseases. Twenty-five per cent had physically harmed anothe r person and 10 per cent reported carrying a weapon with the intent of harming someone else. This study shows that adolescents are willing t o provide information on risk taking and that they are engaging in hig h levels of health-harming behaviour. Such information is important fo r designing health promotion programs to address adolescent risk takin g.