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Affiliation
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Department of Health Services and Center to Eliminate Health Disparities, UCLA, School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA; UCLA, Center for Health Policy Research, School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA; Division of Cancer Prevention and Control Research, UCLA, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA. |
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Abstract
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PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between role model presence, type of role model, and various health-risk and health-protective behaviors among California adolescents.
METHODS: We used cross-sectional data on 4,010 multiethnic adolescents aged 12-17 years from the 2003 California Health Interview Survey, a population-based random-digit dial telephone survey of more than 40,000 California households. The survey, conducted every other year since 2001, collects extensive demographic, health, and health-related information.
RESULTS: Fifty-nine percent of adolescents identified a role model. Affluent teens were more likely to have a role model than lower income teens. Role models were generally of the same ethnicity and gender as the teens; ethnic congruence was higher among African Americans and whites than Latinos and Asians; gender congruence was higher among males. Type of role model was significantly associated with health-related behaviors. Identification of a teacher was strongly associated with positive health behaviors. Correlations with health-promoting behaviors were generally smaller in magnitude but consistently positive among family member and athlete role models. Peer or entertainer role models were associated with health-risk behaviors.
CONCLUSION: Not only role model presence but also the type of role model is an important predictor of adolescent health-related behaviors. Our findings have implications for designing youth targeted interventions and policies involving role models.
Copyright © 2011 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Language: en |