Abstract

Factors Influencing Health and Risk Behaviors among Sample of Iraqi Adolescents

Background: In last decade, our planet has seen a dramatic increment in the number of adolescents leads to increase the orientation toward adolescents' development and their risky behaviours.

Objectives: To recognize danger and defensive influences for adolescents at the family, school, peers, and single level and to find out if there is any association between these factors and adolescents' health: Emotional health, violence, substance use.

Method: A cross sectional study, conducted on students of four high schools, in Al-Resafa district, Baghdad, from January to July 2019, a convenient sample of (524) students were in fourth and fifth grades, the data were collected by using a questionnaire derived from previous literatures and modified by the researcher and validated by three family physicians.

Results: The family had the significant effect on each: Females who were (57.25%) of participants, adolescents of employed mothers (60.31%), and adolescents of parents living together (89.50%). The individual behaviours had a significant effect on: (53.05%) fifth grade adolescents, and whose mothers had college and higher degrees educational level (50%). The school and peers influences found significantly on adolescents of college and higher degrees fathers (77.48%).

Conclusion: In a view of social domain, the adolescent's personality and family presence were important and essential to guide the adolescent in managing his behavior, the peers inside or outside the school were critical in deciding the adolescent's life trajectory, while the school effect found being less on the healthy behaviours.

• Full-Text
• PDF