Risk-taking behaviors in relation to religiosity and familial support among university students: a latent class analysis.

BACKGROUND: High-risk behaviors such as substance use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and violence are common among university students and can lead to serious health issues. Research on high-risk behaviors among Iranian university students is limited, with many aspects still unexplored. This study aimed to identify patterns of these behaviors and examine how religiosity and familial support relate to risk-taking among university students in Khuzestan Province, Iran. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from mid-2023 to mid-2024 involving 513 university students aged 18 to 29 years, selected through multistage random sampling. Data were collected via self-administered questionnaires assessing risk behaviors, religiosity, and familial support. Latent class analysis was used to identify behavior patterns, with model fit evaluated by likelihood-ratio chi-square, Akaike information criterion, Bayesian information criterion, and entropy. Statistical analyses were performed using SAS 9.2. RESULTS: The majority of students (78.1%) were classified as low-risk, while about 22% engaged in multiple high-risk behaviors. Higher levels of familial support and religiosity were associated with a lower likelihood of belonging to high-risk groups. Familial support significantly decreased the odds of being in the very high-risk class, whereas males were more likely to be in moderate or high-risk classes. CONCLUSIONS: Most students exhibited low-risk behaviors, but a notable minority engaged in multiple risks. Enhancing familial support and fostering religiosity may help reduce risk-taking behaviors. It is recommended that universities and health authorities develop culturally sensitive, family-focused programs to support student health and well-being.