Epidemiology and Etiology of High-risk Behaviors Among Male and Female Students in Qom

Background: High-risk behaviors are among the most frequent behaviors in adolescents compared with other age ranges. Objectives: The epidemiology and etiology of high-risk behaviors among high school girls and boys in Qom was the aim of this study. Methods: This survey research was carried out using Rashid Questionnaire (2015). The questionnaire was given to 1000 middle and high school students in 8 schools (4 boys’ and 4 girls' schools) in the south and north (two from each area) of Qom in 2015. Results: Feeling deeply sad and hopeless 43.7%, experience of Hookah smoking 43.2%, feeling hurt outdoors 26.5%, the experience of cigarette smoking 26.4%, Physical fight out of home 22%, having sex with one’s own free will 20.7%, having suicidal thoughts 19.9%, planning for suicide 17.7%, experience of alcohol consumption 16.8%, forced sex 14.5%, and attempted suicide in the last 12 months 12.8% were the most common high-risk behaviors among adolescents, respectively. Meanwhile, the mean of high-risk behaviors in boys was higher than in girls. Moreover, among the 15 psychosocial factors studied, four factors of peer pressure, poor religious beliefs, feelings of emptiness, and antisociality had the highest potential to predict their high-risk behavior Conclusions: Total range of some high-risk behaviors among the sample in Qom is at a dangerous rate and needs more attention.