Urbanisation and adolescent risk behaviour

Objective. To investigate whether there is an association between the lengt h of time lived in an urban area and selected adolescent risk behaviours. Design. Cross-sectional survey in which students completed an anonymous, co nfidential questionnaire. Setting. Four high schools in black communities i n the Cape Peninsula, South Africa. Participants. A sample of 1 296 students obtained by multistage cluster sam pling. Main outcome measures. Selected risk behaviours. Results. There is a relationship between urbanisation and certain risk beha viours. The following risk behaviours were associated with urbanisation: us e in the previous month of alcohol, cannabis, and cannabis mixed with Mandr ax; being a victim of violence; perpetration of an act of violence; and sui cidality, Conversely, participation in sexual intercourse and solvent sniff ing in the previous month were not associated with urbanisation. Conclusion. Urbanisation is associated with an increase in the prevalence r ates of some risk behaviours. Mental health promotion efforts may be inform ed by further research aimed at the identification of: (i) the characterist ics of risk behaviour that determine whether it is associated with urbanisa tion; and (ii) where applicable, the specific aspects of the urbanisation p rocess that contribute to an increase in risk.