Scrutiny of factors contributing adolescent behaviour in rural Maharashtra (original) (raw)

Psycho-social study of adolescent girls of rural Konkan region (Maharashtra)

International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 2015

Background: Konkan area in Maharashtra, India is rich in Biodiversity and known for its Natural Beauty. At the same time geographical difficulties, poor socio-economical status, superstitial and religious beliefs are some important factors contributing to more Psycho-social problems in this area including Physical Health. We focused in this Study to find out Psychological Problems, Health issues and planning future activities for School going adolescent girls. Methods: The Study was carried out on total no. Of 1290 School going adolescent girls of age group 11-20 years, over the period of six months. The following Psychological and Physical parameters were considered. Mental Status Examination, Higher Mental Functions, Personality, Decision Making capacity. Hemoglobin status, Body Mass Index and Health related factors of Adolescent girls. Results: According to Psychological assessment78.46% had abnormal expression, poor hygiene, low decision making. 72.47% were underweight and 47.22% were anemic. Conclusions: More Active measures need to be taken for care of Psychological and Physical health. Awareness Programme needs to implement for Students, Parents, Teachers and Public.

A comparative study on common problems of middle and late school going adolescents in Rural area of Bangalore

Introduction-Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical, psychological and social development from puberty to legal adulthood. Aims & Objectives-1) To assess the perceived common problems among middle and late adolescents 2) To compare the perceived common problems between middle and late adolescents 3) To find out the association between common problems of middle and late adolescents on the basis of gender .Material & methods-A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in Private school of rural Bangalore during September-November 2015(3 months).It included High School children aged 14-19 yrs. A pre-tested open-ended questionnaire was administered to the study subjects after getting their parents written consent. Statistical analysis-Data was entered in MS-Excel. Data was analyzed by using frequency tables and significant association was established by chi-square test. Results-A total of 481 students aged 14 to19 years participated in the present study. There were 51% of males and 49% of females. Most of the students were in late adolescents (69.23%).Nearly 30.77% study subjects were present in middle adolescent phase. Educational problems were present in most (61.12%) of the students. Psychological problems were found in 18.30% of students. About 16.63% of study subjects were having health problems. During mid adolescence, educational problems were present in most of the males followed by health problems. While females had more health problems then educational problems, it was also statistically significant. Conclusion-Different stages of adolescence have their own characteristics. So, counseling and support should be given accordingly. Screening of adolescent on regular basis regarding their psychological and health status could be an effective tool to control the existing disease and to update occurrence of any new diseases.

A Study on the Prevalence of Alcohol Consumption , Tobacco Use and Sexual Behaviour among Adolescents in Urban Areas of the Udupi District , Karnataka, India

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 2014

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of alcohol consumption, tobacco use and risky sexual behaviour among adolescents, and to evaluate the socioeconomic factors potentially influencing these behaviours. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from January to April 2011 among 376 adolescents (15-19 years old) studying in different schools and colleges in Udupi, India. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey questionnaire and guidelines were followed for data collection. Participants' alcohol consumption, smoking habits and sexual behaviour patterns were explored. Univariate analysis followed by multivariate logistic regression was done. Results: The prevalence of alcohol consumption, tobacco use and sexual activity was found to occur in 5.7%, 7.2% and 5.5% of participants, respectively. The mean age of the participants' first sexual activity, consumption of alcohol and tobacco use was reported to be approximately 16.8 years. Multivariate analysis showed that males were more likely to have used alcohol and tobacco. Other factors, such as religion and tobacco use among family members, were found to be influential. Conclusion: The potential coexistence of multiple risk behaviours in a student demands an integrated approach. Emphasis should be placed on health education in schools and an increased awareness among parents in order to prevent adolescents' behaviours from becoming a risk to their health.

Prevalence of psychosocial problems among adolescents in rural areas of District Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh

Indian Journal of Community Health, 2014

Introduction: Adolescence is a period of transition between childhood and adulthood. It is a phase of life marked by special attributes including rapid physical growth and development; physical, social and psychological maturity. Aims & Objectives: The present cross sectional study was conducted to assess the prevalence of psychosocial problems among adolescents in a rural area of District Muzaffarnagar. Materials & Methods: The study subjects were 210 adolescent girls and boys (10-19 years old) selected using multistage random sampling technique. The subjects were interviewed & detailed information was collected on a structured and pre-tested questionnaire after taking consent from the subject/ parents. The clinical diagnosis was generated as per the criteria laid down in ICD-10. The data was entered in Epi Info statistical software package Version 3.4.3 and suitable statistical methods were applied. Results: The overall prevalence of psychosocial problems amongst adolescent was fo...

Correlates of sexual behaviour of rural college youth in Maharashtra, India

Although premarital sex relationships are widely discouraged in India, some youth do form such relationships. It is important to understand the nature and extent of youth sexual behaviour and examine the relationship between individual characteristics, knowledge and attitude towards reproductive health issues and sexual behaviour. In order to study the sexual behaviour of rural youth, quantitative data have been collected among 1500 students (800 male and 700 female) and qualitative data through 4 focus group discussions & 4 indepth interviews, in the age group 15-24 years in Thane district of Maharashtra during 2005. Chi-square test and regression analysis was performed using the sexual experience (penetrative and non-penetrative sex) as the dependent variable to find out the association and relationship with individual characteristics (age, education, working status, peer interaction, erotic exposure, and habits), knowledge and attitude towards reproductive health issues. Boys and girls lacked scientific information and misconceptions are widespread on various reproductive health issues. Boys had more liberal attitudes towards premarital sex as compared to the girls. Proportion of students with any sexual experience (penetrative and non-penetrative sex) was much higher in boys (29.8%) compared to girls (4.9%). Around 11 percent boys and 1 percent girls who reported penetrative sex (vaginal, /oral / anal), around half of them did not use condom. Homosexual experience was reported by 11 percent boys and 3 percent girls. AIDS awareness was observed high (89% & 87 % respectively among boys and girls). However the knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases was limited. Exposure to alcohol, drugs, pornographic films, having more frequent interaction with peers and working status of the students were positively related with penetrative and non-penetrative sex relationships for both boys and girls. Over 83 percent youth expressed a need for interactive communication on reproductive health issues be available in their colleges. The rural youth engaged in penetrative sex and use condom inconsistently are at risk of STIs and HIV transmission to their partners. Findings underscore the need for sexual and reproductive health interventions to target not only young people but also their peers.

A cross sectional study on health risk behaviours among adolescent high school students of urban Raichur district, Karnataka

Background: Adolescents make up 1 in 6 persons in the world. Even though healthy, this group is prone for adverse health risk factors like alcohol and tobacco use, physical inactivity, eating and behavioural problems. These factors can adversely affect their health at present and also during their adulthood. Therefore, there is a necessity to promote healthy behaviours among the adolescents for their better development. Objectives: To find out the prevalence of health-related risk factors among the adolescent high school students of urban Raichur. Methodology: A cross sectional study conducted from June to August 2018, using a World Health Organization designed Global School-based Student Health Survey questionnaire (modified for India). The students from four randomly selected high schools of urban Raichur participated in the study (n= 559). Results: In the present study, the consumption of fruits, vegetables, energy dense beverages and energy dense snacks/ fast foods was 39%, 37.6%, 42.2% and 72.5% respectively. 39.5% of students had regular physical activity, 23.1% spent more than three hours watching TV/ playing computer games. The prevalence of tobacco smoking, smokeless forms of tobacco, alcohol among the students in past 30 days were 5.5%, 6.3% and 5.4% respectively. 37.9% of students reported to have experienced passive tobacco smoking. Conclusions: The results stress the need for intervention programmes aimed at increased consumption of fruits and vegetables and integrating other risk factors such as physical activity into health promotion among adolescents. Need for awareness against the harmful effects of tobacco and alcohol.

A study of adolescent health problems in a rural school in Thiruvanthapuram district, Kerala, India

International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health, 2016

Background: Adolescence is a period of transition from childhood to adulthood. As adolescents are less vulnerable to diseases than the children, health problems specific to this group is given less importance. Their emotional problems are little noticed by the parents.Methods:A cross sectional study was conducted in a rural government higher secondary school, Kilimanoor during November 2013. 10th and 11th class students (110 girls and 107 boys) were interviewed with the help of a pretested questionnaire.Results: A total of 217 students in the age group of 15-17 years were studied. Obesity was found in 2.8% of students. 45.6% falls under normal category and the rest 51.6% were in the underweight category. Hypertension was observed only in males i.e. 4.2%. 24.4% were in the pre hypertensive group. Systolic BP is correlated with BMI (r = 0.270, p-value <0.001). The prevalence of hypertension and pre hypertension in males are 8.4% and 30.8% respectively, whereas none of the females a...

A Qualitative Study of Sexual behaviour and practices of school going adolescents in a rural area of Panvel Taluka

Journal of Research in Medical and Dental Science, 2016

Introduction: Adolescents constitute nearly 22% of India's population of which 72% reside in rural areas. While there is limited evidence available on the nature and formation of premarital relationships in India, there is a trend that despite strict norms, partnerships are formed with the opposite sex. There is growing evidence of sexual activity before marriage, amongst both boys and girls. Aims and Objectives: i) To understand perceptions and beliefs of adolescents regarding their sexual behaviour. ii) To study their sexual practices. iii) To understand the perception and opinion of teachers regarding sexual behavior and practices of adolescents. Methodology: Qualitative study using different methods like free listing, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Free listing regarding sexuality behavior and practices was done with 30 girls and 30 boys who were purposively chosen. Further FGD's were conducted with girls, boys and teachers. Key informant interviews were conducted with 6 adolescents who were considered as their peer leaders. Results: Results are organised around three main themes that arose: sexuality (sources of information, sexual practise, knowledge and attitudes) studies (schooling and careers) and relationships with parents and teachers. Conclusions: Although relatively low there is a clear indication that students are indulging in some form of sexual activity. They have incorrect and incomplete knowledge regarding sexual health. Barriers of communication exist between adolescents, parents and teachers.

A study of nutritional status and high risk behavior of adolescents in Ahmedabad: A Cross Sectional Study

iapsmgc.org

Background: Adolescence is a distinct age group (10-19 yrs) with complex needs because of physical and psychological development during puberty. Aim: To evaluate adolescents' nutritional status and high risk behavior. Settings and design: A Cross Sectional study was conducted in West Zone of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, Gujarat. Methods & Material: 401 students (10-19years) from 10 schools and colleges surveyed using pretested questionnaire about nutritional status and high risk behavior. To analyze nutritional status height, weight and BMI were taken and analyzed using WHO growth standards 2007. Statistical analysis: Qualitative data analysis done using Epi Info and WHO Anthro Plus softwares. Results: 47.4% (95% CI= 30.7%-64.6%) were stunted and 19.5% (95%CI=12.6%-28.7%) were overweight according to WHO growth standards 2007. Awareness about HIV/AIDS was 93.27% and main media of awareness was television(55.35%). 13.22% were sexually active and 35.85% used condoms during last sexual act. 22.56% have habit of masturbation. 25.19% students believe masturbation is bad habit. Only boys (15.9%) had addiction and common was tobacco chewing (61.29%). No one was Intravenous Drug User. Mean age for menarche was 12.84 yrs. From them 60.93% have problems during menstruation. Most common problem was dysmenorrhea (58.7%). For discussing sexual health problems, 74.64% students prefer with friends. Conclusions: Adolescents have many health problems that need to be taken care of by effective interventions. Key message: Nationwide adolescent health data is inadequate. Focus must be given on analyzing adolescent health issues and to solve them.

A REVIEW OF GOVERNMENTAL INITIATIVES IN ADOLESCENCE DEVELOPMENT IN MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Being on the verge of becoming the youngest country in the world, India at present has the largest population of adolescents. While the world is home to 120 crore individuals aged 10-19 years, India has 25.32 crore adolescents, with Maharashtra accounting for of 2.13 crore of them (Census Report 2011). An attempt is made in this paper to review the initiatives of the state of Maharashtra towards catering to needs of this section. Attempt is also made to highlight the legal and policy frameworks along with schemes and program for protecting the rights of adolescence and suggest a convergent approach for efficient and effective usage of existing resources. In the long run, the initiatives could contribute in not only addressing adolescent needs in a more comprehensive manner, but also in developing them into mature citizens firmly believing in secularism and democracy; the principles upheld by the Indian Constitution. INTRODUCTION Adolescence is defined by the United Nations as the period between 10 and 19 years age group. It is a peculiar stage in the life cycle, full of internal and external changes typically depicting it as a period of transition from childhood to adulthood with rapid changes at biological, psychological as well as social levels. It is a phase of shaping adult mental processes, individual identity and social outlook which continues in an individual throughout life. This is an age of experimentation and experiencing relative freedom on one hand and insecurities, vulnerabilities and associated risks on the other. This period also demands greater attention to gender and culture-specific challenges and barriers. Corresponding to specific needs, investing in adolescent development and their participation can accelerate the fight against poverty, inequity and gender discrimination. It will prepare the adolescents of today to deal with intergenerational implications of current economic turmoil such as unemployment, explosive urbanization and migration, climate change, etc. and thus, recognize that they are not only the future but also firmly part of the present – living, working, contributing to households, communities, societies and economies of the nation. Adolescence in Maharashtra Adolescents constitute 25.32 crores that is 21% of the population of India. Maharashtra has 2.13 crore adolescents, that is 19% of the total state population and 8.4% of the total adolescent population in the country. Rural adolescents constitute 1.22 crore and urban adolescents are 0.91 crore; 57% and 43% respectively. Male adolescents constitute 1.13 crore and female adolescents constitute 0.99 crore; 53% and 47% respectively (Census of India, 2011) 1. Concept and Purpose of Mapping of Adolescent Initiatives Adolescents are a dynamic and diverse section of our population. Age-wise this group stands at the threshold of childhood and adulthood and hence needs consideration under all services that cater to both. Their development needs are diverse making them come under the purview of many sectors that often work independent of others.