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(1) School and Educational Institutions Health Unit, Health Affairs Department,
Primary Health Care Services Sector, Dubai Health Authority.
(2) Staff Development, Health Centers Department.
Primary Health Care Services Sector, Dubai Health Authority
Correspondence:
Dr Hamid Yahay Hussain
School and Educational Institutions Health Unit,
Health Affairs Department,
Primary Health Care Services Sector,
Dubai Health Authority
Dubai
Email: hussainh569@hotmail.com
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based programs that intend to prevent violent behavior
Introduction
should be used at all grade levels from pre kindergarten
through high school.(10)Youth violence is becoming
Violence is defined as “the intentional use of physical force
a major unresolved public health problem and media
or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another
exposure to violence is a synergistic source of this problem.
person or against a group or community, that either results
in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death,
psychological harm, mal-development, or deprivation”. Objectives
The use of physical force or power should be understood
to include neglect and all types of physical, sexual and 1. To determine the prevalence of violence among
psychological abuse, as well as suicide and other self- students of preparatory and secondary schools in
abusive acts.(1) Dubai.
2. To determine the epidemiological profile of violence
Interpersonal physical violence is an important public among preparatory and secondary school students in
health concern that has received limited attention in the Dubai.
developing world.(2) Physical aggression in children is 3. To investigate the predictors of violent acts among
a major public health problem. It is not only a precursor school students in preparatory and secondary school
of physical and mental health problems, but aggressive students in Dubai.
children themselves are at higher risk of alcohol and drug
abuse, violent crimes, depression, suicide attempts, spouse Methodology
abuse, neglectful and abusive parenting.(3) Children and
adolescents can experience violence as the perpetrator, This is a cross sectional study. The study was conducted
the victim or the perpetrator/victim.(4) among students in preparatory and secondary schools
“Governmental and Private” in Dubai city in U.A.E. The total
Violence is affecting every community and every country in number of schools in Dubai is 183, in Deira and Bur Dubai.
the world. It has become a global problem that threatens In Diera there are 72 private schools and 21 governmental
the lives and security of people everywhere. Because of its schools (preparatory and secondary) which cover both
widespread nature, violence is considered now a human the males and females. In Bur Dubai there are 69 private
fact that cannot be avoided.(5) No country or community schools and 21 governmental schools (preparatory and
is untouched by violence. Because it is so pervasive, secondary) which cover both the males and females.
violence is often seen as an inevitable part of the human
condition, a fact of life to respond to, rather than to In 2010-2011 the total number of students in governmental
prevent. Furthermore a substantial proportion of the costs preparatory and secondary schools is 8,211 for males
of violence results from its impact on victims’ health and and 12,078 for females with a total of 20,289. While in
the burden it places on health institutions. This gives the private schools the total number for both male and female
health sector both a special interest in prevention and a students in all grades (preparatory and secondary) was
key role to play. (6) 56,829 students, (numbers of male and female students
for the private schools were not available). The total
Every year, more than 1.6 million people die because of number of preparatory and secondary school students in
violence. Of these deaths, 90% occur in low- and middle governmental and private schools is 77,118. Computer
income countries. Self-directed and interpersonal violence, program EPI-Info version “6.04” and medical statistics
account for 54% and 35% of the global death toll due to book(11) were used for calculation of the minimum
violence respectively. A review of development agency web sample size required. According to a recent study (12), the
sites and documents suggests that, while interpersonal prevalence of physical violence was found to be 57%, so
violence is clearly on their agenda, it is given a lower priority using 3% degree of precision and 95% confident interval,
than collective violence and self-directed violence. Recent the minimum sample size required was 1046. A sample of
WHO projections show the trend of interpersonal violence, 1,046 students was randomly selected from preparatory
that deaths due to it will rank among the 20 leading causes and secondary schools in Dubai.
of death, going from the 22nd leading cause of death in
2004 to the 16th in 2030. During the same time period, A stratified random sample was used. The strata were
self-inflicted injuries will rise from the 16th to the 12th based upon geographical districts (Bur Dubai and Diera),
leading cause of death. (7) Research on youth violence type of schools (governmental and private), educational
has increased our understanding of factors that make grade (7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th) and sex (males
some populations more vulnerable to victimization and and females). The number of governmental schools was
perpetration. These include individual risk factors, family less than that of private schools (42 and 141 respectively).
risk factors, peer and school risk factors and community According to the numbers of schools, a proportional
risk factors.(8) allocation technique was used to determine the required
number. A total of 16 private schools (8 from Bur Dubai
Special programs are needed to help to identify violent and 8 from Diera), with 4 schools of boys and 4 schools
behaviors at schools, to educate school personnel about of girls for each district were randomly selected. Also, 4
these behaviors, and educate adolescents about risks governmental schools (2 from Bur Dubai and 2 from Diera),
they face when they engage in these behaviors.(9) School with one school for each gender from each district, were
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randomly selected. From each school one class was selected As shown in Table 2, (next page) students who reported
randomly from each educational grade. All the students in school absenteeism due to feeling unsafe were more
the selected classes were invited to participate in the study. likely to commit violence than those who didn’t, with risk
difference of 1.5-6 times. Students who usually carry
Results sharp tools at school had significantly higher prevalence of
committing violence compared to those who didn’t (77.5%
The likelihood of physical violence being committed by versus 33.3% respectively). Students reporting that their
study students as presented in Table 1 was significantly colleagues carry sharp tools at school have higher risk
highest among students less than 13 years (OR = 1.94) of committing violence whether this behavior was done
which decreased gradually as age gets older. Males sometimes (OR = 3.22) or always (OR = 3.87).
have significantly 1.64 times the likelihood of committing
violence and students from Bur Dubai had also about 3
times the risk of committing violence compared to those
from Deira. Also local students had double the likelihood
of committing violence in contrast to non locals.
Table 1: Prevalence of physical violence committed by study students in relation to socio-demographic data
(Dubai, 2010)
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Table 2: Prevalence of physical violence committed by study students in relation to school environment
(Dubai, 2010)
Table 3 shows that all habits and physical activity variables than 13 years, circulates rumours against colleagues, his/
are significantly associated with committing violence her colleagues carry sharp tools at school, being a boy or
against others. Those at higher risk of committing violence committing insult against colleagues.
are those watching TV for 4 hours or more per day (OR =
1.69), prefer boxing on TV (OR = 1.71), or wrestling (OR Table 5 shows the results of stepwise logistic regression
= 1.83) in contrast to cartoon preference. Students who analysis of factors affecting the risk of committing violence
play computer games for one hour or more had about two by study students. Variables entered in the model include
times the risk compared to those who don’t. Also, students age, sex, area of residence, nationality, birth order, live with
who practice exercise for three hours or more per week whom, feelings toward father, days of school absenteeism
had 1.63 times the risk especially among those who prefer due to feeling unsafe, carrying sharp tool at school by
basketball (OR = 1.93) or karate (OR = 2.61). Higher student or colleagues, hours/day watching TV, favorite
percentage of committing violence was observed among TV programs and smoking. Out of these variables, six
smokers (52.0%) relative to non smokers (38.1%) with an were the most significant predictors for the occurrence of
estimated risk ratio of 1.76. violence committed by students namely; area of residence,
sex, school absenteeism due to feeling unsafe, carrying
Table 4 shows the results of stepwise logistic regression sharp tools in school by student or colleagues and feelings
analysis of factors affecting the occurrence of violence toward father. The risk of committing violence by student
against study students. Out of 16 variables entered in was almost doubled if the student was living in Bur Dubai,
the model six were the most significant predictors for being male, feeling unsafe at school, carrying sharp tools
the occurrence of violence namely; type of school, age, in school, his/her colleagues carry sharp tools at school or
circulating rumours against colleagues, having friend being afraid of father.
carrying sharp tools at school, student sex, and committing
insult against colleagues. The risk of beating was almost
doubled if the student is in governmental school, aged less
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Table 3: Prevalence of physical violence committed by study students in relation to habits and activities
(Dubai, 2010)
Table 4: Results of stepwise logistic regression analysis of factors affecting physical violence occurrence
against study students
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Table 5: Results of stepwise logistic regression analysis of factors affecting violence committed by study
students
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