International Perspectives on Adolescent Violence

Co-investigators

Mary D. Overpeck, DrPHPeter C. Scheidt, MD, MPH

Acknowlegement :Patricia Moyer, NICHD

Lois Fingerhut, NCHS/CDC

Data Sources• Mortality

– WHO Statistics

– International Collaborative Effort on Injury Statistics

Nonfatal Data Source

WHO study

of Health Behavior

in School Children

1997/98 Survey

Injury Mortality Rates by Intent Age 15-19

• Source is latest data available from WHO Statistics Website

• Averaging about 10 years of data for each country

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

IsraelEngland &

SwedenDenmark

IrelandSlovak Republic

ScotlandGreeceFrance

HungaryGermany

NorwayNorthern IrelandCzech Republic

BelgiumPoland

CanadaFinlandAustria

PortugalRussia

USA Lithuania

EstoniaLatvia

Rate per 100,000

Unintentional Suicide Homicide

Undetermined

Other violence/war

USA

Injury Mortality rates for ages 15-19 years by intent

Deaths by Mechanism

Mechanism describes how someone died

e.g. firearms, cutting/piercing, suffocation

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

United States

Scotland

Norway

Israel

France

England & Wales

Canada

Deaths per 100,000 population

Firearm Cut/pierce Other

Mechanism of Homicides - Age 15 - 24

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

United States

Scotland

Norway

Israel

France

England & Wales

Canada

Deaths per 100,000 population

Firearm Poisoning Suffocation Other

Mechanism of Suicides - Age 15 - 24

Non-fatal Behaviors

WHO Study of Health Behavior in School-aged Children

Nationally representative surveys of 11, 13 & 15 year old youth in 29 countries

Self report, school based surveys

·Conducted academic year 1997-98

· 120,000 respondents

· 95% CI’s for percents shown are about 2.5% for each country

METHODS

VARIABLES

Fighting, bullying, weapon carrying

Other health-related and risk behaviors

School, family and peer factors

BULLYING DEFINITION

We say a student is BEING BULLIED when another student, or a group of students say or do nasty and unpleasant things to him or her.

It is also BULLYING when a student is teased repeatedly in a way he or she doesn’t like.

But it is NOT BULLYING when two students of about the same strength quarrel or fight.

How often have you been bullied in school this term?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Slovak republicEnglandSweden

ScotlandWales

Rep. of IrelandNorthern Ireland

PolandNorwayGreece

HungaryUSA

FinlandBelgium -

FranceCanadaRussia

PortugalIsrael

AustriaEstonia

DenmarkCzech republic

LatviaSwitzerland

GreenlandGermanyLithuania

Percent distribution

Sometimes >= Once a week

USA

How often have you taken part in bullying other students?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

EnglandWales

ScotlandPoland

SwedenNorthern

Slovak republicGreece

Rep. of IrelandPortugalHungary

IsraelNorway

USARussiaFinland

Czech republicEstoniaCanada

Belgium -FranceLatvia

GreenlandSwitzerland

DenmarkLithuaniaGermany

Austria

Percent distribution

Sometimes >= Once a week

USA

Do you feel safe at school?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

USA

Sweden

Republic of Ireland

Portugal

Israel

Estonia

Percent distribution

Did not Fight 1-3 Times 4+ Times

During the past 12 months, how many times were you in a physical fight?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

USA

Republic of Ireland

Portugal

Israel

Estonia

Percent distribution

Did not Fight Stranger Family Member

Boy/Girlfriend Friend Someone Else

More Than One of Above

The last time you were in a physical fight, with whom did you fight?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

USA

Republic of Ireland

Portugal

Israel

Hungary

Estonia

Belgium-Flemish

Percent not Carrying

During the past 30 days, on how many days did you carry a weapon, such as a

gun, knife or club, for self-defense?

COMPARISONS OF FIGHTING AND HOMICIDE

18.660.2USA

0.861.2Sweden

0.6 55.6 Irish Rep

0.9Portugal 68.8

1.0 54.6Israel

11.4Estonia 60.6

15-19 yrs

Homicide Rates

% Not Fighting

Country

Summary

Primary difference between fatality rates among U.S. and other countries is the homicide rates

Behavioral data indicate that U.S. adolescents are no more violent than those in most other countries

DiscussionComparability of data for fatalities

and nonfatal behavior

Other studies of violence, bullying,

fighting and weapon carrying

Effective targeting of interventions

for violence