Citation

Lee A, Tsang CK, Lee S, To CT. J. Sch. Health 2001; 71(9): 443-447.

Affiliation

Centre for Health Education and Health Promotion, School of Public Health, Chinese University of Hong Kong. alee@cuhk.edu.hk

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, American School Health Association, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11727643

Abstract

In Hong Kong, prevocational schools serve as an alternative to mainstream schools to provide education with more emphasis on practical and technical subjects. In this paper, health-risk behaviors of prevocational school (PVS) students were identified, and comparisons of health-risk behaviors with or without adjusting the demographic factors from prevocational schools and mainstream schools were made. The PVS students were at higher risk for most categories of health-risk behaviors such as unintentional and intentional injuries, smoking, alcohol drinking, glue sniffing, inadequate physical activity, insufficient consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, and early sexual activity with multiple partners. Female students of PVS reported higher prevalence of emotional problems and substance abuse. Findings suggest that the school environment is an influential factor on the lifestyle behavior of students. Comprehensive health education and intervention programs are needed for youth in Hong Kong prevocational schools.

Language: en