Frequency of risky behaviours among students in Babol Universities (2009)

The safety of teenagers and young are the major factor in developing a community and they are also the major group at risk of behavioural problems. So, this study was performed to evaluate the prevalence of risky behaviours among different university students in Babol, located in Norther of Iran. This cross sectional study was carried out in a random sample of Babol university students including medical university, university of engineering and Azad University with roughly equal sampling ratio with respect to university and gender. The data was gathered by a designed questionnaire including demographic characteristics, physical involvement with others (violence), cigarette smoking, drug abuse, physical inactivity, overweight and obesity. In statistical analysis the Chi square test was used to determine the association of risky behaviours with demographic characteristics. The results revealed that in general the prevalence of physical involvement with others (violence) during a recent year was 33.3% current cigarette smoking 13.7%, overweight and obesity 25.6%, physical inactivity 15.3% and drug user during recent year 0.3%. In general, the prevalence of some risky behaviour was more in boys than girls (P<0.001), and it was more in single than married (P<0.001) and in residence of dormitory and rented houses than personal houses (P<0.001) and also in engineering and Azad university in contrast to medical university (P<0.001). For example, the prevalence of cigarette smoking was 25.7% in boys and 3.6% in girls (P<0.001). This study showed a rather high frequency of risky behaviours among students in Babol city in North of Iran.