[Violence against adolescents: differentials by gender and living conditions strata].

An ecological study was conducted in order to analyze differences in mortality rates among adolescents by gender and living conditions strata in Recife from1998 to 2004. The average mortality coefficient for violence during this period was calculated by gender for the city and by living conditions strata. This analysis demonstrated a higher risk of death by violence for male adolescents in Stratum III (poorest living conditions). The mortality rates by violence for men and women were 10.89 (Recife); 10.90 (Stratum I); 11.70 (Stratum II) and 10.30 (Stratum III). The findings show that although males are at the highest risk, it is also quite clear that living conditions influence the distribution of the mortality rate due to violence.