Abstract
Background: The purpose of this study is to examine the differences in health-risk behavior patterns and lifestyles between students residing in the city of Ariel and those residing in communal settlements within the Ariel region. Our research rational is that significant differences can be found between these two groups regarding environmental, cultural and behavioral conditions, which promote healthy or risky lifestyles.
Methods: This cross-sectional study is based on an anonymous structured self-reported questionnaire that deals with topics of health, welfare and health-risk behaviors, completed by over 1500 undergraduate students.
Results: The findings indicate meaningful and significant differences between the groups, both in their socio-demographic levels and in their health and risk behaviors. Students residing in Ariel maintained a better lifestyle, which included a sensible diet and physical activity routine, compared with students from communal settlements and those who reside in other areas of the country.
Conclusions: The findings indicate that cultural differences play a decisive role in predicting health and risk behaviors, more so than the residential area itself.
We would like to thank the Samaria and Jordan Rift R&D Center and the Ariel University for their assistance in funding the study and supporting it; the students who completed the questionnaire – for their willingness to contribute to the study and for their patience in completing the questionnaire; Professor Jessor at the University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA – for his theoretical guidance and for the use of his research questionnaire; and Dr. Hanna Gendel-Guterman – for her insights. We also wish to say a big thank you to Dr. Hagit Bonny-Noach and Ms. Esther Gonen for their enrichment in these important areas. Likewise, we extend our gratitude to the editor and the reviewers for their valuable comments.
Conflict of interest statement
Authors’ conflict of interest disclosure: The authors state that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this article.
Research funding: None declared.
Employment or leadership: None declared.
Honorarium: None declared.
Description of the study variables.

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Artikel in diesem Heft
- Masthead
- Masthead
- Editorial
- Substance use, addiction, and history
- Reviews
- International accessibility: a proposal for a system of symbols for people with disabilities
- Perceived parenting as related to emotional competence of visually and hearing impaired adolescents
- Wheelchair-related falls – a review
- Original Articles
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- Severity of symptomatology and subtypes in ADHD children with comorbid oppositional defiant and conduct disorders
- Comparison between neurological examination and computerized test of attention for suspected ADHD: implications for assessment of a common childhood disability
- Effectiveness of a participative community singing program to improve health behaviors and increase physical activity in Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- Improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians’ well-being using participatory community singing approach
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- The disability gap in happiness across welfare regimes
- Evaluation of disable friendliness of a railway transport facility in Ludhiana city of Punjab, India
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- Patterns of adaptive performance by individuals with autism spectrum disorders on the Behavior Assessment System for Children II (BASC-2)
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- Case Reports
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