Perceived peer norms, health risk behaviors, and clustering of risk behaviors among Palestinian youth.

ABSTRACT: Relatively little is known about patterns of health risk behaviors among Middle Eastern youth, including how these behaviors are related to perceived peer norms. In a sample of approximately 2,500 15-24 year old Palestinian youth, perceived engagement of general peers in alcohol consumption, drug use and sexual activity was substantially greater than youths' own (self-reported) engagement in these activities, suggesting a tendency to overestimate the prevalence of risk-taking behavior among peers. Individual participation in a risk behavior strongly covaries with the perceived levels of both friends' and peers' engagement in that behavior (p = 0.00 in each case). In addition, significant clustering of risk behaviors is found: youth who participate in one risk behavior are more likely to pa

SUBMITTER: Glick P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6013164 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature