Healthcare patterns and life styles in adolescents from three schools in Popayán, Colombia

摘要

OBJECTIVE: Identifying healthy practice and risky behavior in students from Popayan in June and December 2009.METHOD: This was across-sectional study in 3 schools in Popayan. The information was collected using the Global School Health Survey (GSHS), validated by the WHO.RESULTS: The results showed that 55.2 of teenagers tried smoking for the first time between 10 and 12 years of age. The single largest group regarding trying/starting to drink alcohol was 13 to 15 years of age. Episodes of solitude were experienced around 14 years of age and the early onset of sexual activity was concerning.CONCLUSION: The results confirmed the presence of risk factors for chronic diseases, violence and HIV infection in this study population.