Journal of Adolescent Health
Volume 43, Issue 3 , Pages 246-252, September 2008

Adolescent Risk Taking, Neighborhood Social Capital, and Health

  • William F. Boyce, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Social Program Evaluation Group, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress correspondence to: William Boyce, Ph.D., Faculties of Education and Health Sciences, Social Program Evaluation Group, Queen's University, 511 Union Street, Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6
    • ,
  • Diane Davies, M.A.

      Affiliations

    • Centre for Obesity Research and Education, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
    • ,
  • Owen Gallupe, M.A.

      Affiliations

    • Social Program Evaluation Group, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
    • ,
  • Danielle Shelley, M.A.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada

Received 27 August 2007; accepted 18 January 2008. published online 25 April 2008.

Abstract 

Purpose

To assess the roles of a neighborhood measure of social capital, family affluence, and risk taking on adolescent self-rated health.

Methods

This study uses data from the 2384 Canadian students in Grades 9–10 (56.5% female) from the World Health Organization's Health Behavior in School-Aged Children Survey 2001/2002, a nationwide representative sample.

Results

Using binary logistic regression models, it is found that higher levels of risk taking and lower levels of neighborhood social capital and family affluence are independently associated with worse overall perceptions of health. These influences are not found to interact with each other.

Conclusions

Neighborhood social capital, risk taking, and family affluence are important factors to consider when addressing the health of adolescents. Results are discussed in terms of possible health promoting interventions.

Keywords: Social capital, Health, Risk taking, Affluence, Adolescent

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PII: S1054-139X(08)00103-1

doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2008.01.014

Journal of Adolescent Health
Volume 43, Issue 3 , Pages 246-252, September 2008

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