Bullying among adolescents in a Brazilian urban center – “Health in Beagá” Study

OBJECTIVE To analyze the prevalence of bullying and its associated factors in Brazilian adolescents.METHODS Data were used from a population-based household survey conducted by the Urban Health Observatory (OSUBH) utilizing probability sampling in three stages: census tracts, residences, and individuals. The survey included 598 adolescents (14-17 years old) who responded questions on bullying, sociodemographic characteristics, health-risk behaviors, educational well-being, family structure, physical activity, markers of nutritional habits, and subjective well-being (body image, personal satisfaction, and satisfaction with their present and future life). Univariate and multivariate analysis was done using robust Poisson regression.RESULTS The prevalence of bullying was 26.2% (28.0% among males, 24.0% among females). The location of most bullying cases was at or on route to school (70.5%), followed by on the streets (28.5%), at home (9.8%), while practicing sports (7.3%), at parties (4.6%), at work (1.7%), and at other locations (1.6%). Reports of bullying were associated with life dissatisfaction, difficulty relating to parents, involvement in fights with peers and insecurity in the neighborhood.CONCLUSIONS A high prevalence of bullying among participating adolescents was found, and the school serves as the main bullying location, although other sites such as home, parties and workplace were also reported. Characteristics regarding self-perception and adolescent perceptions of their environment were also associated with bullying, thus advancing the knowledge of this type of violence, especially in urban centers of developing countries.

【研究目的】分析巴西青少年欺凌行为的流行率及其相关影响因素。
【研究方法】采用巴西城市健康观测站（Urban Health Observatory，OSUBH）开展的基于人群的家庭调查数据，该调查采用三阶段概率抽样方案：依次抽取普查小区、住宅与个体。本次研究共纳入598名14至17岁的青少年，调研内容涵盖欺凌相关问题、社会人口学特征、健康危险行为、教育福祉、家庭结构、体育活动、营养习惯相关指标，以及主观福祉（包括身体意象、个人满意度、对当下与未来生活的满意度）。数据分析采用稳健泊松回归进行单因素与多因素分析。
【研究结果】青少年群体的欺凌行为总体流行率为26.2%（男性28.0%，女性24.0%）。多数欺凌事件发生于校园内或往返校园途中（70.5%），其次为街头（28.5%）、家中（9.8%）、运动场馆（7.3%）、聚会场合（4.6%）、工作场所（1.7%）及其他场所（1.6%）。欺凌报告与生活满意度低下、与父母相处困难、参与同伴斗殴以及社区环境缺乏安全感存在显著关联。
【研究结论】本研究纳入的青少年群体中欺凌行为流行率较高，校园为欺凌发生的主要场所，但也有报告提及家中、聚会及工作场所等其他场景。青少年的自我感知与环境感知特征同样与欺凌发生相关，本研究深化了对这类暴力行为的认知，尤其为发展中国家城市中心区域的相关研究提供了参考。