Adolescent health risk profiles: The co-occurrence of health risks among females and males

This analysis examines the complexity of adolescent health risk behaviors u sing data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add He alth), a nationally representative study of students. The Current sample in cludes 12,955 students (6,626 females and 6,329 males) in grades 9 through 12. Cluster analysis was conducted separately by gender to examine the inte rrelationships among eight health risk behaviors: sexual activity, general alcohol use, binge drinking, cigarette use, marijuana use, other illicit dr ug use, fighting, and suicide. Four distinct clusters for females and males were identified based on their profiles of risk-taking behavior Females an d males both report low- and high-risk profiles, and a risk profile with hi gh alcohol use and sexual activity. Females have two distinct risk profiles , one that is highest on every measure of risk compared to others and one t hat has high levels of fighting and suicide with little participation in su bstance use or sexual activity Males have a distinct risk profile with part icularly high rates of marijuana use and suicidal behaviors. Few distinctio ns exist between profiles based on sociodemographic characteristics.