Impacts of violence experienced by adolescents on school attendance: an analysis of data from PeNSE/IBGE

Abstract

Adolescence, a crucial phase characterised by intense transformations, constitutes a period of particular vulnerability. Violence against children and adolescents in Brazil remains a serious violation of human rights. In view of this reality, this article seeks to discuss the impacts of violence during adolescence, exploring its main forms and associated factors, specifically in relation to school attendance. For this study, the age groups that most frequently encompass 9th-year students in Brazil (13 to 15 years old), enrolled in morning or afternoon shifts, were considered. The final sample used in this study comprised 86,374 students. The research adopted a cross-sectional experimental design, with data collected between April and September 2015 through a structured, self-administered questionnaire, in which students answered the questions directly on smartphones. The National School Health Survey (PeNSE/IBGE) consists of 146 questions organised into several thematic modules, including issues related to socioeconomic and demographic conditions, risk behaviours, mental health, physical activity, eating habits, experiences of violence, and access to health services. The results suggest an association between domestic aggression, physical violence, and school absenteeism, which should be further examined in future epidemiological models of a longitudinal nature or within cohort study designs