Eventos negativos de vida e comportamentos de risco à saúde (abuso de álcool, tabagismo e inatividade física) em participantes da Coorte de nascimentos de 1982

Abstract

Introduction: Negative life events (NLEs) are events or circumstances that modify, confront, harm, or threaten individuals in the social, psychological, and physical fields. The health consequences of these events, such as the acquisition of lifelong habits depend on various aspects of these events and the individuals who experienced them. Objective: To evaluate the association between negative life events (NLE’s) occurring during emerging adulthood (23 years) and health risk behaviors in adulthood (30 years) in participants of the 1982 Pelotas (Southern Brazil) Birth Cohort. Methodology: Cohort including all live births in 1982 whose mothers lived in the urban area of Pelotas. The exposures were the following NLE's: health problem that incapacitated activities of daily living; death of a close relative; major financial difficulties; unwanted change of residence; romantic relationship breakup; brawl with physical aggression; suffer discrimination, and the total EVNs (0,1, 2, ≥ 3) over the last 12 months. The outcomes investigated were alcohol abuse, smoking, and physical inactivity. Results: There was an association between alcohol abuse and unwanted change of residence (PR 1.79; 95%CI 1.51; 2.12), brawl with physical aggression (PR 1.62; 95%CI 1.42; 1.85), major financial difficulties (PR 1.33; 95%CI 1.18; 1.51), romantic relationship breakup (PR 1.25; 95%CI 1.08; 1.44) and experiencing three or more NLE's (PR 1.62; 95%CI 1.36; 1.92). Smoking was associated with major financial difficulties (PR 1.45; 95%CI 1.29; 1.64), brawl with physical aggression (PR 1.43; 95%CI 1.26; 1.66), unwanted change of residence (PR 1.32; 95%CI 1.11; 1.58) and experiencing three or more NLE's (PR 1.61; 95%CI 1.35; 1.91). Physical inactivity showed an association with major financial difficulties (PR 1.07; 95%CI 1.03; 1.12). Conclusions: NLE’s occurring during emerging adulthood were associated with higher occurrence of alcohol abuse and smoking in later adulthood. Physical inactivity at age 30 showed association only with the occurrence of major financial difficulties at age 23. Investigation of contextual and biological factors is needed to assist in the development of prevention strategies.