A Survey of the Health Risk Behaviors of Middle School Students in Kyungju

경주지역 일부 중학생의 건강관련 위험행동

The purpose of this study was to collect basic data to develop school health policy and health promotion program. This survey measured the levels of risk behaviors in six categories in a middle school students in Kyungju(n=490). The data was collected from November to December 2000. It was done using a 1999 version of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey of CDC, which was translated and make a partial modification. The major results were as follows. Many middle school students engaged in behaviors that will increase the likelihood of death or illness. 1) A high percentage of middle school students engaged in behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and school-related violence (42.1 -78%) 2) Students who perceived their school life are happy experienced more depression(p=.000) and Students who perceived their school and family life are so-and-so seriously considered attempting suicide(p = .000) than other subgroup. 3) In spite of they were normal weight, 14.5% of students considered themselves overweight. 4) There was significantly difference or correlation between health risk behaviors and grade, parents educational level perception of school life and performance, perception of family life and religion. Based on this results of study, it is necessary to develop school health program and school health policy to prevent health risk behaviors and improve health promotion especially considering characteristics of middle school students.