ABSTRACT
Background: Teachers play an important role in reducing adolescent health problems. However, the involvement of teachers in adolescent health is not well understood. This current study was conducted to address this. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among teachers of randomly selected arts, commerce and science colleges in Sangli, (Maharashtra) India. The data was collected by cluster random sampling. The study period was from November 2014 to April 2015. The study tool was self-administered questionnaire. Due ethical considerations, consents were taken. Analysis was done using Microsoft Excel 2003 and IBM SPSS version 22. Results: Out of 319 study participants; 246 (77.1%) participants had good awareness regarding adolescent health problems, 254 (79.6%) participants had good attitude towards reproductive health. Forty-three (13.5%), 22 (6.9%) and 15 (4.7%) participants had good practices regarding behavioural problems, psychological problems and substance abuse respectively. Practices about behavioural problems and substance abuse were associated with adolescent health training. In bi-variate analysis, age was a significant predictor for all the three practices. Conclusion: Most teachers had good attitude and awareness; but poor knowledge and practices regarding adolescent issues. All teachers should undergo training regarding adolescent health; with periodic refresher courses or lectures. Anonymous feedback from students should be sought to keep vigilance over efforts of the teachers.
ABSTRACT
Prevailing socio-cultural influences lead females to desire a thin body and males a muscular body, especially in adolescents. This results in body image anxiety which may lead to social phobia. Together they can develop depression. The aim was to study the correlation of body image anxiety with social phobia and their association with depression, among adolescents. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in randomly selected colleges from a rural area of Sangli district Maharashtra, India. Stratified random sampling technique used with sample size 805. Pretested self-administered questionnaire used. Percentage, Chi-square test, binary logistic regression model was used to estimate odds ratio [OR] and its 95% confidence intervals. Of 997 study subjects body image anxiety, social phobia and depression were observed in 232 [23.3%], 193 [19.4%] and 326 [32.7%] participants, respectively. Binary logistic regression showed that body image anxiety [OR = 1.849 [1.22, 2.804]; P = 0.004] and social phobia [OR = 4.575 [2.952-7.09]; P < 0.001] were significant predictors for depression. Body image anxiety and social phobia are linked with the development of depression. This impresses the need for timely counseling and education among adolescents