Increased Prevalence of Risk Behaviors Reported by Chronically Ill Adolescents

Studies of risk behaviors in adolescents with chronic illnesses generally have been drawn from small clinical samples or limited to one or two risk behaviors. Investigators used data from an anonymous self-administered survey completed by a nationally representative sample of Swiss adolescents (age range, 16–20 years) to compare the prevalence of eight risk behaviors in 760 students (50% female) who reported having a chronic condition and 6493 healthy peers (52% female). Risk behaviors examined were daily smoking, alcohol misuse, current cannabis use, current use of any other illegal drug, early sexual debut, eating disorder, violent acts, and antisocial acts. Chronic conditions were defined as diseases that were present for longer than 6 m…