Predictive Markers and Self-Perceived Health in Adolescents: An Exploration Through a School-Based Public Health Survey

Abstract

Adolescence is a critical developmental stage marked by significant physical, emotional, and social changes that profoundly influence health behaviors. Public health plays a crucial role in promoting adolescent well-being, developing health education programs, community campaigns, and evidence-based prevention policies to mitigate risk factors associated with adolescent health, behavior, and lifestyle patterns. The aim of this study is to examine self-perceived health, mood, sleep patterns, substance use, dietary habits, and leisure activities among 120 adolescents aged 14 to 17 in a municipal school near Barcelona. The findings reveal that in the mood state distribution, boys are 2.34-times more likely to report a positive mood than girls. In the prevalence of addictive substance and alcohol use between male and female adolescents, 82.6% of girls reported an alcohol consumption that was significantly higher than the 56.9% of boys (p = 0.003). Similarly, 42.15% of girls had smoked at least once, compared to 19.83% of boys (p < 0.001). Physical inactivity was more prevalent among girls (17.4%) than boys (11.8%), indicating potential barriers to participation. The distribution of sleep hours between boys and girls shows notable differences in the 8.5 h sleep category (p = 0.0090). Skipping breakfast was more common among girls (33.3%) than boys (21.6%). Night-out frequency and return times have an identical proportion between boys and girls. This study underscores the necessity of implementing gender-sensitive public health strategies to address disparities in substance use, physical activity, and dietary habits, while promoting sleep hygiene and overall adolescent well-being through municipal and community-based initiatives.