Situations of violence experienced by students in the state capitals and the Federal District: results from the National Adolescent School-based Health Survey (PeNSE 2012).

Objective: To describe violent events experienced by school-aged adolescents in school, around the school and in the family context, and to compare the results of the National Adolescent School-based Health Survey of 2009 and 2012.
Methods: Indicators related to violence involving teenagers were analyzed. The prevalence rates and confidence intervals of 95% were calculated for events of interest according to gender and type of school (public or private) and regions.
Results: Prevalence rates were: insecurity in the route between home-school (9.1%), insecurity in school (8.0%), physical assault in the last 12 months (18.2%), engaging in fights in the last 12 months (20.7%), fighting with a cold weapon (8.3%), fighting with firearms (6.9%), physical assault by a family member (11.6%) and having been seriously injured in the last 12 months (10.3%). The situations of violence were more prevalent among male students from public schools. The comparison with the 2009 survey showed increased prevalence in all the variables studied.
Conclusion: Teenagers are exposed to different forms of violence, and the data from the National Survey of School Health can support the planning of preventive actions.