Prevalência e fatores associados ao autorrelato de violência interpessoal física no contexto comunitário entre escolares do 6° ao 9° ano do Ensino Fundamental no Estado do Ceará: análise da PeNSE 2019

Abstract

Interpersonal violence in the community context represents a significant public health concern during adolescence, with important implications for physical and mental health as well as social development. This study aimed to analyze the prevalence and factors associated with self-reported interpersonal physical aggression in the community context among students enrolled in the 6th to 9th grades of elementary school in the state of Ceará, Brazil, in 2019. This is a cross-sectional, population-based study using data from the 2019 National School Health Survey (PeNSE). The outcome was defined as self-reported physical aggression experienced in the 30 days prior to the survey, occurring in community settings (such as streets or schools) and perpetrated by individuals outside the family context. Independent variables were organized into analytical blocks grounded in a multidimensional theoretical framework, including sociodemographic characteristics, mental health indicators, lifestyle-related behaviors, social bonding variables, and access to health services. All analyses accounted for the complex sampling design of PeNSE. Prevalence estimates and bivariate analyses were initially conducted, followed by multivariable logistic regression to estimate adjusted odds ratios, adopting a 5% significance level. The prevalence of self-reported interpersonal physical aggression in the community context was 14.7%. After multivariable adjustment, the factors that remained independently associated with the outcome were male sex, frequent feelings of loneliness and hopelessness, alcohol consumption, use of other psychoactive substances, and indicators of weak social bonds. The findings highlight the coexistence of individual and contextual vulnerabilities, supporting the proposed theoretical model by demonstrating that mental health conditions, social bonds, and risk behaviors interact in explaining adolescents’ exposure to community-based violence. Interpersonal physical aggression in the community context shows substantial prevalence among schoolchildren in Ceará and is associated with multifactorial determinants, reinforcing the need for intersectoral strategies focused on health promotion, strengthening social bonds, and violence prevention in adolescence.