Early Identification of At-Risk Youth in Latin America : An Application of Cluster Analysis

Bagby, Emilie ; Cunningham, Wendy

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES;    ADDICTION;    ADOLESCENT;    ADOLESCENT HEALTH;    ADOLESCENT MEDICINE;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-4377
RP-ID  :  WPS4377

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

A new literature on the nature of andpolicies for youth in Latin America is emerging, but thereis still very little known about who are the most vulnerableyoung people.This paper aims to characterize theheterogeneity in the youth population and identify ex antethe youth that are at-risk and should be targeted withprevention programs.Using non-parametric methodologies andspecialized youth surveys from Mexico and Chile, the authorsquantify and characterize the different sub-groups of youth,according to the amount of risk in their lives, and findthat approximately 20 percent of 18 to 24 year old Chileansand 40 percent of the same age cohort in Mexico aresuffering the consequences of a range of negative behaviors.Another 8 to 20 percent demonstrate factors in their livesthat pre-dispose them to becoming at-risk youth - they arethe candidates for prevention programs.The analysis findstwo observable variables that can be used to identify whichchildren have a higher probability of becoming troubledyouth:poverty and residing in rural areas.The analysisalso finds that risky behaviors increase with age and differby gender, thereby highlighting the need for program andpolicy differentiation along these two demographic dimensions.