This study explores the influence of cognitive development and health self-perception on Brazilian students' beliefs on the causes of health and illness. Ninety-six randomly selected elementary and junior high school students from two schools in the north area of Rio De Janeiro County were interviewed individually by an investigator. Subjects who…

Researchers investigated the causal attributions for health and illness among 96 Brazilian elementary school students. Subjects were interviewed individually and their causal attributions were assessed through 14 true-false items (e.g. people stay well because they are lucky). The findings suggest that there may be more cross-cultural similarities…