The prevalence of risky behaviors that may cause ıntented and unintented ınjuries in high school students in Adana

Aim: Lack of experience and risk-taking behaviors expose adolescents to injuries. In World Health report 2008, injuries are the leading cause of death in 15-19 ages. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of risky behaviors that may cause intended and unintended injuries in high school students in 2009-2010 in Adana and compare them with the data of year 2000.Material and Method: A sample of 3016 students representing the population of high school students in Adana in 2009-2010 was included in the study. The questionnaire was developed by adapting the United States of America Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance questions to Turkish and adding some questions about sociodemographic features.Results: Of students, 52 % were female and 48 % were male. A significant relationship was found between driving a motor vehicle without the proper license, male gender, higher grade, higher family monthly income status and families owning a motor vehicle but not with parental educational status. We also found a significant relationship between carrying a sharp object like knife and dagger or a club and male gender and educational status of fatherbut not with grade, family income or educational status of mother. We also determined that there was a significant relationship between the prevalence of attempting a suicide during last year and female gender, poor parental educational status but not with grade and family income. The prevalence of using a helmet by the motorcycle and bicycle riders in 2010 has significantly increased when compared to year 2000 data (% 35,2 vs. % 9 and % 6,8 vs. % 3,1, respectively). However, no significant improvement has been observed in the prevalence of driving a motor vehicle without a proper license (% 18,9 vs. % 19,9), of carrying a sharp object like knife and dagger or a club (% 12,6 vs. % 11,7), and of attempting a suicide during last year (% 7,1 vs. % 6,2). In 2010, the prevalence of using seat-belts while driving on a voluntary basis has decreased whereas the prevalence of buckling up seat-belts when a traffic control is on has increased.Conclusion: A special focus has to be attached to the intended and unintended injuries causing mortality of adolescents. A number of precautions need to be taken in order to have the adolescents use more of their seat-belts, prohibiting their owning and using sharp objects and fire guns. Being aware of the fact that their unhappiness and lack of hope for future will increase as years will go by, a special coaching should be rendered to adolescents in order to cause them realize that everything has a solution and could be cured.Key Words: adolescent, injuries, risky behavior, injuries, fire gun, vehicle, helmet.