TAF PUBLISHING

The descriptive research aimed to identify the health behaviors and health risk behaviors among vocational students. Data were collected by using questionnaire of HBSS of Ministry of Public Health, Thailand and CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey of 6 major risks. The subject were 275 students: case study of a vocational college in Nakonratchasima Province, Thailand, chosen by purposive random sampling. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistical, χ2 and Odds Ratio. The results revealed that mean age 18.5. The youths are 66.2% living with both parents, 21% living with a single parent and 13% living with others. Their average monthly income was 17,000 Thai Baht. The health status included normal body mass index (BMI) mean 20.79 (19-23.2), 56.3% had vaccination. The comparison of risk behaviors by gender, χ2 test found that male students had higher risk behaviors than females by significant difference (p< 0.001), which were 1) Unintentional injuries 2) Smoking 3) Alcohol drinking 4) Motorcycle riding after alcohol drinking 5) Riding with motorcycle rider who had been drinking alcohol 5) Watching television, playing games and social media chat for more than 3 hours/ day. Through use of the OR between male and female were 1) OR 10.12 carried a weapon, it indicated that males had risk behaviors 10 times that of females, 2) OR 5.79 of motorcycle riding with no helmet, 3) OR 5.42 of smoking, 4) OR 5.15 of motorcycle riding after alcohol drinking. These indicated that male students had risks 5 times of females. Among OR 4.10 of riding with a motorcycle rider who had been drinking alcohol and OR 3.30 of watching television, playing games and Social media chat for more than 3 hours/ day respectively, these were male students who had risks 4 and 3 times of females respectively. The suggestions; more effective school health programs and other policy and health promotion programs are needed to reduce risk and improve health outcomes among youth or students in vocational college and other youth, especially among male students.