Year : 2021 Month : October Volume : 10 Issue : 43 Page : 3707-3710,

Study to Assess Nutritional Status, Health Problems and Psychosocial Behaviour of Adolescents in Central India

Priyesh Marskole1, Rinku Bhagora2, Rashmi Yadav3, Sachin Parmar4, Leena Parihar5

1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Department of Community Medicine, Nandkumar Singh Chauhan Government Medical College,
Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, India.

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR

Dr. Rinku Bhagora, Flat No. 302, Block-H, GMC Campus, Mundi Road, Khandwa-450001, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Email : bhagorarinku@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Background

Adolescence is the period between the onset of puberty and the cessation of physical growth roughly from 11 to 19 years of age. Adolescence vacillates between being children and being an adult. They are adjusting to the physiologic changes their bodies are undergoing and are working to establish sexual identification and  use these changes for their benefit as well as that of the society. The objectives of the study were to assess the socio-demographic characteristics of boys, various adolescent health problems, explore the nutritional status of children through B.M.I and psycho-social behaviour and suicidal tendencies among adolescent boys.

 

Methods

The parent study was done in Govt. Boys school which is a multistage sampling. Firstly from DOE, a list of Govt. Boys school, Gwalior was taken, and from that list the schools were randomly selected. A predesigned, pretested, structured and validated questionnaire in Hindi was given to the student returned questionnaire.

 

Results

Out of 400 students, 176 (44 %) had fouling of gums; 44 (11 %) had bleeding gums; 152 (38 %) had hair fall, 76 (19 %) had white patches on their nails; 40 (10 %) had urinary irritation; 48 (12 %) had pain in the ear; 8 (2 %) had diabetes; 8 (2 %) had high B.P ; 12 (3 %) had asthma; 4 (1 %) had low B.P ; 176 (44 %) had acne; 100 (25 %) had short height.

 

Conclusions

They have simple but wide pervading crucial reproductive health needs-menstrual hygiene, contraception (including emergency contraception) safety from sexually transmitted infection (STI) and HIV. A communication gap exists between parents and other adults (lack of family connectedness) which needs to be corrected.

 

Key Words

Adolescent, Reproductive Health, Communication Gap.

BACKGROUND

Adolescence is the period between the onset of puberty and the cessation of physical growth roughly from 11 to 19 years of age.1

Adolescence vacillates between being children and being an adult. They are adjusting to the physiologic changes their bodies are undergoing and are working to establish sexual identification and use these changes for their benefit as well as that of the society.

They are searching for personal identity and want freedom and independence of thought and action, but they continue to have a strong dependence on their parents and suffer feelings of loss of separating from them, in reaction to this identity with their peers and tend to yield peer pressure and conform to peer values behaviour, and tests and such things as clothing, food and entertainment.

Because of the sheer no. they constitute more than 22 % of the population.

Adolescence is the period of rapid physical growth, sexual and psychological changes.

Habits that are picked up during adolescence (risk-taking behaviour, substance abuse, eating, habits, and conflict resolution) have a lifelong impact.

Adolescence is the last chance to correct growth lag and malnutrition.

Many adolescent boys & girls are sexually active but lack information and skill for self-production (low-level information of family planning, low contraception use).

They have simple but wide pervading crucial reproductive health needs-menstrual hygiene, contraception (including emergency contraception) safety from STI and HIV. A communication gap exists between parents and other adults (lack of family connectedness).

 

Objectives

  1. To assess the socio-demographic characteristics of boy students.
  2. To assess the various adolescent health problems regarding physique, general health and hygiene, sex abuse, and addiction.
  3. To explore the nutritional status of children through B.M.I. and its correlation with socioeconomic status, the prevalence of obesity, anaemia etc. among adolescent boys.
  4. To explore adolescent friendly behaviour, confidentiality, parental bonding, substance abuse, adoption of psycho-social behaviour and suicidal tendencies among adolescent boys.

METHODS

The parent study that was undertaken in Govt. Boys school is cross-sectional in design. Multistage random sampling was used for data collection. Firstly from DOE, a list of govt. boy’s school, Gwalior was taken, and from that list the school was randomly selected. From their school, a total of 100 students from each class and each student of 9, 10, 11, and 12 was randomly selected. A total of 400 boys were selected. The sample size according to the prevalence by the study of Kokiwar PR et al.1 was found out to be 353, so for convenient calculation it was rounded off to 400. Permission from the principal of that school was taken so that the availability of 400 students was ensured on the demand date. Ethical permission was taken from the institute. The principal and the students were taken into confidence and were asked to fill proforma with the desired knowledge and they were convinced that this information will not be disclosed to anyone neither in school nor to their parents or the media. A predesigned, pretested, structured and validated questionnaire in Hindi was given to the student returned questionnaire. During the assessment, the students were given the proforma to fill and any queries regarding this were allowed to be asked by the students. Data was collected, analyzed, tabulated and interpreted.

 

Statistical Analysis

Descriptive analysis was done in terms of percentages.

RESULTS

 

 

 

 

DISCUSSION

  1. General Health and Hygiene

Currently, studies of hygiene practices mostly focus on oral hygiene according to previous studies by Maes L, et al.2 Siziya S, et al.3 and McKittrick TR, et al.4 the prevalence of hygiene practices (especially hand hygiene) among adolescents is poorly described.

Out of 400 students, 176 (44 %) had fouling of gums; 44 (11 %) had bleeding gums; 152 (38 %) had hair fall, 76 (19 %) had white patches on their nails; 40 (10 %) had urinary irritation; 48 (12 %) had pain in the ears; 8 (2%) had diabetes; 8 (2 %) had high B.P; 12 (3 %) had asthma; 4 (1 %) had low B.P; 176 (44 %) had acne; 100 (25 %) had short height.

 

2. Addiction Problems

Out of 400 students, 26 (6 %) smoked frequently; 356 (89 %) consumed alcohol frequently; 193 (48.25 %) watched T.V. more than 4 hrs; 57 (14.25 %) used the net for more than 3 hrs; 150 (37.5 %) on mobile phone for more than 3 hrs.

Prashant et al. reported an overall prevalence of substance use as 32.7 % in Andhra Pradesh.

Sinha5 found a prevalence of smoking to be 19.4 % in school students of Bihar.

 

3. Sex-related Problems

Out of 400 students, 79 (19.75 %) had sex but none of them was sexually abused by someone.

 

4. Psychological Problems

Out of 400 students, 180 (45 %) had an attraction towards the opposite sex; 30 (7.5 %) had a feeling of depression for more than 2 weeks; 52 (13 %) had suicidal tendencies; 343 (85.75 %) were conscious about their weight and looks; 327 (81.75 %) were distracted during their studies.

 

5. Personal Issue among Adolescent Boys

Out of 400 students, 193 (48.25 %) had their mobile phones; 48 (12 %) had their vehicles and 353 (88.25 %) were trusted by their parents.

 

6. School Related Problem

Out of 400 boys, 330 (82.5 %) were having problems related to school matters in which 217 (29.25 %) were having problems related to marks; 42 (10.5 %) had  problems related to going to school; 71 (17.75 %) were having problems due to partiality by teacher and 40 (10 %) students were psychologically affected by partiality in school.

 

7. Physique Related Problem

Out of 400 boys, 43 (10.75 %) were obese; 53(13.25 %) were having acne and 138 (34.5 %) used spectacles.

 

8. Family Related Matters

Out of 400 students, 176 (44 %) got their pocket money and were enquired about its utilization by the parents and 27 (6.75 %) were jealous of their siblings.

 

9. Assessment of Nutritional Status through B.M.I. and Its Correlation with Socio-Economic Status

Out of 400 students, 207 (51.75 %) were underweight; 133 (33.25) were normal wt. and 38(9.5 %) were obese.

The majority of the students 44.25 % (177) belonged to the 6966-11609 socio-economic group.

Most of the underweight students belonged to the lower socio-economic group.

Thus, it is recognized that most of the students who were under wt belonged to lower socio-economic better nutritional status.

CONCLUSIONS

They have simple but wide pervading crucial reproductive health needs-menstrual hygiene, contraception (including emergency contraception) safety from STI and HIV. A communication gap exists between parents and other adults (lack of family connectedness) which needs to be corrected.

 

Recommendations

The recommendation which can be made from the present study for children & parents are as follows:

  • Children were advised to get regular health check-ups. (10)
  • Children were educated about the importance of physical activity & daily exercise.
  • Children were advised to remain truthful to their parents & share each & every problem of their life with them.
  • Parents were advised to encourage & support their children in the field of his/her interest instead of imposing their dreams on them.
  • Parents were advised to keep a check on their children’s activities so that they don’t get involved in any activity which could be harmful to them.
  • Parents were told to inculcate healthy feeding habits among their children.

 

Data sharing statement provided by the authors is available with the full text of this article at jemds.com.

REFERENCES

1
  1. Kokiwar PR, Jogdand GRS. Prevalence of substance use among male adolescents in an urban slum area of Karimnagar district, Andhra Pradesh. Indian J Public Health 2011;55(1):42-5.
  2. Maes L, Vereecken C, Vanobbergen J, et al. Tooth brushing and social characteristics of families in 32 countries. Int Dent J 2006;56(3):159-67.
  3. Siziya S, Muula AS, Rudatsikira E. Self-reported poor oral hygiene among in-school adolescents in Zambia. BMC Res Notes 2011;4:255.
  4. McKittrick TR, Jacobsen KH. Oral hygiene practices among middle-school students in 44 low- and middle-income countries. Int Dent J 2014; 64(3):164-70.
  5. Sinha DN. Tobacco and non-communicable disease. Indian J Public Health 2004;48:111-5.

DISCLOSURE AND FUNDING

Disclosure forms provided by the authors are available with the full text of this article at jemds.com

ICMJE Forms

Financial or other competing interests: None.

Disclosure forms provided by the authors are available with the full text of this article at jemds.com.

DATA SHARING STATEMENT

A data sharing statement provided by the authors is available with the full text of this article at jemds.com

How to cite this article

Marskole P, Bhagora R, Yadav R, et al. Study to assess nutritional status, health problems and psychosocial behaviour of adolescents in Central India. J Evolution Med Dent Sci 2021;10(43):3707-3710, DOI: 10.14260/jemds/2021/750

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