DOES THE FAMILY STRUCTURE AFFECT THE HEALTH RISK BEHAVIOR OF ADOLESCENTS IN BRAZIL?

The purpose of this study is to estimate the effect of family structure on the risky behavior of Brazilian adolescents and to analyze the effect according to the levels of education (elementary school and high school). This analysis uses data from the PeNSE (National Student’s Health Survey) of 2015 which provides information about health behaviors among 13 to 17 years old Brazilian students. The sample is subdivided in Elementary School and High School. Estimations were made using the propensity score matching method (PSM) and the risky behaviors considered for the estimation were: consumption of alcohol, cigarettes, and illicit drugs. Thus, the results suggest that being raised in a disruptive family has negatively affects the health risk behavior of adolescents when analyzed by the issue of substance use, mainly when it comes to the consumption of alcohol and cigarettes.