Major health related problems among adolescents in Seoul area

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Adolescence offers unique opportunities for investment in health and well-being. The purpose of this study was to examine the common physical symptoms and diseases and medical utilization rate and the prevalence of health behaviors among school-aged adolescents. METHODS: This study was carried in 1998. Subjects consisted of 3,771 adolescents (ages 10 to 18) who attended an elementary, middle, and high school in Seoul and 3,246 parents. Self-report questionnaire was administered to the students and their parents to measure self-reported physical and psycho\social problems, practice of health behavior, medical care utilization rate, and the most common diagnosis. RESULTS: 1) Academic performance was the most common psycho\social problem for adolescents and their parents. 2) The perceived health status was highest in middle school students, lowest in female high school students. 3) As adolescents went to higher grades, the medical institute and dental clinic utilization rate tended to be decreased, and oriental clinic utilization rate did not change. The most common diagnosis during the past year was dental caries. The next most common diagnosis was respiratory infection. Accidents (males), headache (females) were more common in high school than middle school. 4) The most frequently reported symptom was fatigue in middle and high school students. More than half of female high school students reported fatigue, dizziness, headache, dysmenorrhea, hypersomnia during the last month. 5) The higher their grade was, the less adolescents practiced health behaviors. 21.9% of males and 1.9% of female high school students were smokers. 34.5% of males and 13.3% of female high school students drank alcohol on a regular basis. The prevalence of obesity was 12.0% in males, 10.0% in female high school students. Male adolescents tended to deal with stress with leisure activities, female adolescents did by talking about their problems with related people. CONCLUSION: This overview of health associated issues among adolescents provided a unique view of differences in health care needs between younger and older teens and between male and female teens. These data have meaningful implications for health promotion program for adolescents.