Youths' Knowledge About Risk Factors That Contribute To Violence

Abstract

Objectives: The study aims to identify youths' knowledge about risk factors that contribute in violence and
statistical differences between demographic data of youths regarding to their knowledge and sources of such
knowledge.

Methodology: A questionnaire was constructed for purposes of the study through review of literature. It was
consisted of 3 parts. First part included demographic data of sample. Second part included items of risk
factors that contribute in violence and some of them related to preventive information. Third part concerned
to sources of information. The study was conducted on student and youths in intermediate school of Ibn
Khaldon, secondary school of Bashar Ibn Burd, medical technical institute of al- Mansour, and college of
Nursing / Baghdad. Data was collected through the personal interview with the researcher in 3/7/2011 to
18/3/2012. A descriptive and inferential statistical approach was used to the data analysis (frequencies,
percentages, mean of score and chi-square).

Results: The results of the study revealed that the majority of youths have lack of knowledge about risk
factors that contribute in violence with different levels, as well as high percentage of them was reported as
high knowledge to preventive information of risk factors that contribute in violence (83.8%), majority of them
between youths who boys, age group (20-25) years, and the most who was students. In addition, there was
non significant association between youth's knowledge and demographic data, especially related to gender
and age. Also, the higher percentage of source of information was reported by using of different mass media
sources (37.65%).

Conclusion: The study concluded that the majority of youths have lack of knowledge about risk factors that
contribute in violence for many of items. Also, high percentage was reported about its preventive information,
and using of different mass media as a source was indicated high percentage for such knowledge.

Recommendations: Based on these results, the present study recommended on the planning of awareness
programs to the students and youths. In addition, workshops should be designed to increase their knowledge
for violence prevention, and decrease risk factors that contribute in violence for health promotion in all of
levels upon youth's ages.