Violências contra adolescentes nas capitais brasileiras, segundo inquérito em serviços de urgência

Evidence of validity and reliability of the Desiderative Questionnaire with juvenile offenders and victimized adolescents

Abstract The objective of this work was to assess validity and reliability of the Desiderative Questionnaire with adolescent offenders and victims. The sample comprised 200 adolescents, of both genders, between 12 and 16 years of age, of whom 50 were sentenced to correctional measures, 50 were victims of domestic violence and 100 without suspected violence or transgression. Data analysis was performed using the Pearson Chi-Square Test, Kappa Concordance Index and Cronbach’s Alpha. The results showed statistically significant differences between the clinical and control groups in several categories, with more difficulties among adolescent victims and offenders. They also revealed precision of the technique used and of the evaluation system with high correlations among the judges as well as high internal consistency, with adequate reliability coefficients.

A Violência Mora ao Lado? Violência Familiar e Comunitária entre Adolescentes

Resumo Para descrever a ocorrência de situações de violência contra adolescentes na família e na comunidade, foi conduzido estudo transversal em escolas públicas de municípios do Brasil. O Questionário da Juventude Brasileira Versão Fase II foi utilizado. Participaram 2.860 adolescentes, sendo 58,5% do sexo feminino. Cerca de um terço dos participantes sofreram violência física na família. Na comunidade, 32,7% dos adolescentes reportaram ter sofrido situações de violência psicológica. Situações de violência física ocorreram mais entre meninos, em participantes de 15 a 19 anos e nos que experimentaram álcool ou drogas ilícitas. Considera-se como importante que ações preventivas contra violência de naturezas distintas sejam contínuas e abrangentes, incluam diferentes subgrupos e garantam o suporte necessário.

A nationwide school-based study of violence in Brazil (PeNSE, 2015)

The study aims to describe victimization for domestic violence (DV), knife-related violence (KV), firearm-related violence (FV) and sexual violence (SV). This was a nationwide Brazilian survey with school-based interviews. All 9th grade students from public and private schools in Brazil were invited to participate. The sampling process was at random and cluster-based and performed in three stages: municipalities, schools, and classrooms. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses were carried out considering the sample weights. A total of 100,540 individuals were assessed and the prevalence of victimization for DV, KV, FV and SV was 14.5%, 7.9%, 5.7% and 4.0%, respectively. The DV was more frequent in the South-eastern region, FV was more frequent in the Central-Western region and the KV and SV were more frequent in the Northern region. The victimization for DV and SV was higher among the girls, while the FV and KV were greater among the boys. All forms of victimization were more frequent among public school students, among those at age 16 or older, for those whose mothers have a lower educational level and those who have used alcohol or illegal drugs.

Wounded adolescences: a portrait of firearm violence reported in Brazil

OBJECTIVE

To describe the notifications of interpersonal and self-inflicted firearm violence in adolescents and to identify the factors associated with the notification of this event.

METHODOLOGY

Cross-sectional study analyzing data from Sinan from 2011 to 2017, in adolescents aged 10-19 years, injured by firearms. The χ2 test was used to verify the gender ratio difference. Correlation analysis and multiple linear regression were performed between the logarithm of the firearm notification rate and each independent variable, in a sample of large municipalities.

RESULTS

There were 30,103 reports of firearm violence in adolescents, of which (74.7%) were males aged 15-19 years (83.8%). Among girls, violence is more common at home, with a known perpetrator, and with physical and sexual violence combined. The death rate by firearms was higher in Fortaleza, Maceió, João Pessoa, Salvador and Natal, ranging from 105.88 to 71.73 per 100 thousand. Higher notification rates of firearm violence were associated with higher firearm death rates and greater coverage of health facilities.

CONCLUSION

Firearm violence is a major public health problem in adolescents. Attacks on the disarmament statute and the loosening of gun possession and ownership directly confront the present and future of children and adolescents.

Risk and protective factors related to domestic violence against Brazilian adolescents

OBJECTIVE

To describe the factors associated with domestic violence against Brazilian adolescents.

METHODOLOGY

Descriptive analysis of the variables and calculation of the prevalence of intrafamily violence reported by the students was performed, followed by multinomial regression with calculation of the adjusted odds ratio to analyze the association between the variables and the outcome investigated.

RESULTS

Black skin color (ORa = 1.9; 95%CI 1.4 - 2.7) and brown (ORa = 1.4; 95%CI 1.0 - 1.9), insomnia (ORa = 1.8; 95%CI 1.4 - 2.4), bullying (ORa = 2.5; 95%CI 1.7 - 3.7) and alcohol consumption (ORa = 1.5; 95%CI 1.1 - 1.9) increased the chances of adolescents suffering an episode of intrafamily violence. Bullying (ORa = 3.9; 95%CI 2.8 - 5.3) and alcohol consumption (ORa = 2.2; 95%CI 1.7 - 2.7) contributed up to 4 times more not to suffer more than one episode of domestic violence. Habits such as eating with family (ORa = 0.7; 95%CI 0.5 - 1.0) and having parents who understand their problems (ORa = 0.6; 95%CI 0.5 - 0,7) proved to be protective factors for intrafamily violence.

CONCLUSION

Intrafamily violence against adolescents is related to family interactions, psychoactive substance use and violence in the school environment. Thus, it reveals the importance of the participation of parents and guardians in the prevention of violence and risk behaviors in the lives of Brazilian adolescents.

Violence against adolescents: analysis of health sector notifications, Brazil, 2011-2017

INTRODUCTION

Violence experienced in adolescence results in serious damage and suffering to society. This study aims to characterize the profile of violence victims and likely perpetrators of violence against adolescents, as well as to describe the percentage of notifying municipalities according to the federation unit.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study conducted with data on notification of violence against adolescents from the Information System for Notifiable Diseases, from 2011 to 2017. The chi-square test was used to assess the statistical significance of the differences between the proportions in the comparison between genders. Proportion ratios for the most frequent types of violence were estimated according to selected variables.

RESULTS

The notifications came from 75.4% of all the Brazilian municipalities. Physical violence predominated among males, aged 15-19 years. Psychological violence was predominant among females, between 10 and 14 years old, when perpetrated repeatedly at home by family aggressors. Sexual violence prevailed among females, aged 10 to 14 years old, in the indigenous, black and yellow races/colors, when perpetrated repeatedly at home. Negligence was more common among males, between 10 and 14 years old, when perpetrated repeatedly by family aggressors.

CONCLUSIONS

Sexual violence occurred predominantly against females and generated significant negative impacts on mental, physical, sexual and reproductive health. Community violence, perpetrated with sharp objects and firearms, were prominent among males and are important risk factors for male over-mortality. Because the problems are complex, addressing them requires intersectoral actions.

Sociodemographic, criminal and forensic characteristics of a sample of female children and adolescents murdered in Brazil. 2010-2016

Introduction: In Brazil, violence, regardless of the type, is the leading cause of death in adolescents and young adults.Objective: To describe the characteristics of the homicides in which female children and adolescents were the victims based on the autopsy reports recorded in the morgue of the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil.Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study in which 70 autopsy reports of girls and female adolescents who were killed between January 2010 and December 2016 were analyzed. The cases were evaluated according to the homicide motive or the homicide perpetrator, and five categories were established: drug trafficking related death, femicide, homicide perpetrated by a family member, death preceded by sexual violence, and death related to other transgressions.Results: There was a significant increase in the number of girls and female adolescents who were murdered between 2010 (n=7) and 2016 (n=19). Most of the homicides (64.2%) were related to drug, while femicide occurred in 15.7% of the cases. Homicides perpetrated by a family member, or preceded by sexual violence or related with other transgressions were less frequent as they occurred in 10%, 5.7% and 4.2% of the cases, respectively.Conclusion: Greater attention must be paid to the increase in the number of drug trafficking related homicides among female adolescents when creating and implementing relevant public policies.

Adverse childhood experiences and bullying in late adolescence in a metropolitan region of Brazil

BACKGROUND

Adverse childhood experiences and bullying are factors associated with an increased risk of harmful outcomes to the physical and mental health of adolescents, which may affect their resilience.

OBJECTIVE

This study analyzed the association between exposure to childhood adversities and bullying behaviors in late adolescence.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

The study included adolescents in the 15-19 age range, enrolled in high schools located in a metropolitan region of Brazil.

METHODS

School-based epidemiological survey with a sample of 2293 students, stratified by municipality of school location, with data collected between 2016 and 2017. Descriptive and inferential statistics were obtained through two instruments: Questionnaire on the History of Adversity in Childhood and Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire in adapted versions.

RESULTS

A high percentage of students were exposed to at least one childhood adversity (89.9%). Among those exposed, 56.6% experienced one to three adversities and 33.3%, from four to ten adversities. The results showed that victims of bullying were more likely to have been exposed to childhood adversities (OR = 9.8, 95%CI = 5.94-16.10), as did the aggressors (OR = 5.8, 95%CI = 3.64-9.17).

CONCLUSIONS

Students involved in bullying (victims and aggressors) were more likely to have been exposed to adversity during childhood. These findings highlight the need to address the causes of violence in order to provide healthy and safe development for children and adolescents, preventing negative outcomes to physical and mental health.