Physical violence and associated factors in participants of the national student health survey (Nshs)

Abstract

The objective of this article was to analyze the association between physical violence in students with socioeconomic factors, family context, mental health, individual risky behaviors, and unsafe environment. Study with data from the National School Health Survey (NSHS) in 2015, with 9th graders. The outcome variable was the report of involvement in a physical struggle and the associated exposure variables used were related to socioeconomic and demographic conditions, family supervision and support, mental health, risky behaviors, and unsafe environment. Multivariate logistic regression with a hierarchical approach was used in the analyzes. The prevalence of involvement in a fight was higher in boys (30.2%; CI 29.3-31.0) than in girls (16.7%; CI 16.0-17.4). In both genders, there was a greater chance of involvement with physical violence when using drugs, missing classes, sedentary lifestyle, insomnia, loneliness and insecurity at school or in the community and, especially, when victimized by family aggression, OR 2.59 (CI 2.31- 2.90) in boys and girls OR 2.42 (CI 2.17-2.71). There was a reduction in the chance of involvement in physical violence in boys because they were working and, in girls, when they study in a private school, having their problems and concerns welcomed by their parents or their participation in school activities.