Prevalence of High Risk Behaviors among Women in Tehran

Objective: High risk behaviors among women can have detrimental consequences on this critical group of society and its increasing rate expose them to more serious dangers. In the light of these issues, the present study aimed to assess the prevalence of high risk behaviors of women living in Tehran. Hopefully, the study results may help take some measures to decrease high risk behaviors and solve some obstacles in preventing them. Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional research. The statistical population of the study was all women residing in Tehran, Iran. A total of 403 participants were recruited through multistage cluster sampling from 5 zones of Tehran with the mean(SD) age of 21.75(2.43) years. Six parts of each zone and then 1 avenue from each part were selected randomly for completing the questionnaires. At each part after gaining participants’ informed consents, they were asked to fill in risky behavior survey questionnaire. Results: The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS-20. Result indicated that the prevalence of driving without license, speed driving, using phone while driving, being under the influence of alcohol and substance abuse while driving, using motor­cycle without helmet, and sing a public transportation which driver is under the influence of drug or alcohol ranges from 2% to 7.7%., 3.2% to 6.7%, 2.7% to 9.7%, 0.7% to 2%., 0.5% to 6%, and 0.7% to 6.7% respectively in the last year. In regard to the prevalence of behaviors related to aggression, results demonstrated  the prevalence of carrying cold weapon at university or workplace in the last month, carrying cold weapon for protecting oneself in the last year, physical contact in last year, avoiding going to university or workplace because of feeling unsafe in the last year, exposing to bullying or be bulled in the last year ranged from 0.5% to 3.5%, 0.5% to 4.2%, 1.2% to 10.9%, 1% to 9.9%, and 1.2% to 8.2%, respectively. The prevalence of other high risk be­haviors, including suicidal thoughts in the last year, unsafe in­tercourse, alcohol use, cigarette, narcotics, stimulants and illegal drugs were 20.6%, 18.4%, 34.5%, 45.4%, and 14.1%, respectively. Conclusion: Results demonstrating that the prevalence of high risk behaviors among women was almost similar to studies in European, American, other parts of world studies and also Iranian studies done before which show increasing rate of high risk behaviors especially addiction in women. As women are among the most vulnerable and at high risk groups, especially in Eastern societies, paying attention to their problems and searching for their causes, as well as developing solutions to help them is crucially important.