Common Health Problems and Risk Behaviors among Adolescent Males in Governmental Secondary Schools, Assuit Governorate

Abstract

AbstractBackground: During adolescence, males have higher rates of morbidity and suffer from various health problems and risk behaviors.Aim of the Study: To assess the most common health problems and risk behavior performed by adolescent males in Governmental Secondary Schools.Subject and Methods: A descriptive cross sectional design was utilized in this study.Setting: Gamal Farghaly Soultan Governmental Secondary School for males Assuit City.Sample: One hundred fifty five students were chosen randomly from 3 different grades.Tools: One questionnaire sheet composed of 3 parts: Part I: Demographic characteristic of the students, part II: Common health problems (physical, social and psychological), part III: Risk health behavior performed by secondary male students.Results: Physically, 23.9% of the students had medical health problems, out of them the most common were respiratory problems (48.6%). Regarding psychological problems frus-tration was common among (25.8%), while the most common social health problem was peer pressure to perform risk behaviors (52.9%). The most common risk behavior was violence at school (27.7%). Smoking was correlated positively with age (p=0.001).Conclusion: The most common physical, psychological and social health problems were as follow, respiratory prob-lems, frustration and peer pressure to perform risk behaviors while the most common risk behavior was violence at school.Recommendation: More health educational programs to raise the awareness of secondary male students about how to avoid being engaged in health risk behaviors.