Youth Risk-Taking Behavior in Brazil : Drug Use and Teenage Pregnancy

Using an extensive survey that addresses risk factors faced by the population in the shantytowns (favelas) of Fortaleza, Brazil, the aim of this paper is to study risk-taking behavior by youth, focusing on drug use and teenage pregnancy. The paper analyzes the impact of factors such as exposure to mass media, the existence of support networks, self-esteem, and the occurrence of violence at home and in the neighborhood, on the probability of risk-taking behavior. A bivariate probit model is estimated. The findings indicate that reliance on support networks and exposure to mass media are associated with a lower probability of either type of risk behavior. Living in a violent home increases drug consumption. Race does not have a significant impact on either type of behavior.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Cardoso, Ana Rute, Verner, Dorte
Language:English
Published: World Bank, Washington, DC 2008-03
Subjects:ADOLESCENT, ADOLESCENT FERTILITY, ADOLESCENT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, ADOLESCENT SEXUAL BEHAVIOR, ADOLESCENT WOMEN, ADULTHOOD, AGED, ALCOHOL, ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION, ALCOHOL USE, BIRTHS, CHILD LABOR, CONDOM USE, CONTRACEPTIVE USE, CONTRACEPTIVES, CRIME, DECISION MAKING, DECLINE IN FERTILITY, DIVORCE, DROPOUT, DRUG CONSUMPTION, DRUG USE, DRUG USERS, DRUGS, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, EPIDEMIC, FAMILY BACKGROUND, FAMILY PLANNING, FAMILY PLANNING PERSPECTIVES, FEMALE, FEMALE ADOLESCENTS, FEMALE CONDOM, FEMALES, FERTILITY BEHAVIOR, FERTILITY RATES, FIRST INTERCOURSE, FIRST SEXUAL INTERCOURSE, GENDER, GIRLS, HIV, HIV INFECTION, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN RIGHTS, INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL, INTERNATIONAL FAMILY PLANNING, INTERNATIONAL FAMILY PLANNING PERSPECTIVES, LABOR MARKET, MALES, MASS MEDIA, MIDDLE EAST, MOTHER, NUMBER OF CHILDREN, NUMBER OF CHILDREN PER WOMAN, POLICY RESEARCH, POLICY RESEARCH WORKING PAPER, POPULATION ASSOCIATION, POPULATION DIVISION, POPULATION RESEARCH, PREGNANCY RATES, PROGRESS, PROMISCUITY, PSYCHOLOGISTS, RADIO, REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PROGRAM, RISK BEHAVIOR, RISK FACTORS, RISK-TAKING, RISK-TAKING BEHAVIOR, RISKY BEHAVIOR, RISKY SEXUAL BEHAVIOR, RISKY SEXUAL BEHAVIORS, SCHOOLS, SELF-ESTEEM, SEXUAL ACTIVITY, SEXUAL BEHAVIOR, SEXUAL BEHAVIORS, SEXUAL INITIATION, SEXUAL INTERCOURSE, SEXUAL INTERCOURSE AMONG ADOLESCENTS, SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP, SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS, SEXUALITY, SEXUALLY ACTIVE, SMOKING, SOCIAL AFFAIRS, SOCIAL CHANGES, SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL EXCLUSION, SOCIAL MOBILITY, SOCIAL NORMS, STD, SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA, SUBSTANCE USE, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, TEEN, TEEN PREGNANCY, TEEN YEARS, TEENAGE EMPLOYMENT, TEENAGE FERTILITY, TEENAGE MOTHERS, TEENAGE PREGNANCY, TEENAGER, TEENAGERS, TELEVISION, TV, UNSAFE SEX, USE OF CONTRACEPTIVES, USE OF DRUGS, VIOLENCE, VIOLENCE AT HOME, YOUNG PEOPLE, YOUTH, YOUTH SMOKING, YOUTHS,
Online Access:http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2008/03/9058934/youth-risk-taking-behavior-brazil-drug-use-teenage-pregnancy
https://hdl.handle.net/10986/6560
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Summary:Using an extensive survey that addresses risk factors faced by the population in the shantytowns (favelas) of Fortaleza, Brazil, the aim of this paper is to study risk-taking behavior by youth, focusing on drug use and teenage pregnancy. The paper analyzes the impact of factors such as exposure to mass media, the existence of support networks, self-esteem, and the occurrence of violence at home and in the neighborhood, on the probability of risk-taking behavior. A bivariate probit model is estimated. The findings indicate that reliance on support networks and exposure to mass media are associated with a lower probability of either type of risk behavior. Living in a violent home increases drug consumption. Race does not have a significant impact on either type of behavior.