Insufficient sleep duration is associated with worse self-rated health and more psychosomatic health complaints in adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between sleep duration and self-rated health and psychosomatic health complaints in a representative sample of Slovak adolescents aged 13 and 15 years. BACKGROUND: According to empirically supported recommendations adolescents age 13 to 18 years old should sleep 8 to 10 hours per 24 hours on a regular basis to promote optimal health. METHODS: We used data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study conducted in 2018 in Slovakia comprising 8,405 adolescents aged from 11 to 15 years (mean age 13.43; 50.9% boys). Presented are results for specific age groups of 13-years old (n = 1,909) and 15-years old (n = 1,293) adolescents. Linear regression models adjusted for age and gender were used to asses associations between sleep duration and self-rated health and psychosomatic complaints. The modifications of the associations by age and gender were also explored. RESULTS: Insufficient sleep duration (less than 8hours) was significantly associated with worse self-rated health and more overall as well as specific psychosomatic health complaints including headache, backache, feeling low, irritability and bad temper, feeling nervous, sleeping difficulties and feeling dizzy. CONCLUSION: In order to promote the health and well-being of adolescents, interventions to improve sleep duration are needed (Tab. 3, Ref. 36).

Social support, hopelessness and life satisfaction among Roma and non-Roma adolescents in Slovakia.

OBJECTIVES: Evidence on the psychosocial determinants of health among Roma adolescents is completely lacking. Our aim was to compare social support, life satisfaction and hopelessness of Slovak Roma and non-Roma adolescents and to assess the impact of parental education and social desirability on these differences. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study among Roma from settlements in the eastern part of Slovakia (N = 330; mean age = 14.50; interview) and non-Roma adolescents (N = 722; mean age = 14.86; questionnaire). The effect of ethnicity on social support, life satisfaction and hopelessness was analysed using linear regression, adjusted for gender, parental education and social desirability. RESULTS: Roma adolescents reported higher social support from parents, higher life satisfaction and higher hopelessness rates. Parental education explained part of the ethnic differences, as did social desirability. After adjustment for the aforementioned factors, differences by ethnicity remained statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Roma adolescents experience higher levels of social support, life satisfaction and hopelessness than non-Roma adolescents. Reduction of hopelessness feelings while maintaining levels of social support and life satisfaction among Roma adolescents should be a topic for both intervention and further research.

Gender differences in adolescent health-related behaviour diminished between 1998 and 2006.

OBJECTIVES: Male teenagers used to smoke more than females, but this male:female ratio has reversed in several European countries over recent decades. The aim of this study was to assess whether a similar shift in gender differences in smoking and other health-related behaviours has occurred in Slovak adolescents over the last decade. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: Data were collected in 1998 (n=2616, 52.4% male, mean age 14.9±0.6 years, response rate 96.3%) and 2006 (n=1081, 47.0% male, mean age 14.3±0.6 years, response rate 93.0%). Changes in gender-specific prevalence rates for smoking, alcohol consumption and lack of physical activity were assessed for both cohorts overall and by socio-economic group using the highest educational level of the parents. RESULTS: Statistically significant changes occurred in the male:female ratios for smoking and lack of physical activity but not for alcohol consumption. The prevalence of smoking in males dropped below that in females, and the physical activity of females increased substantially. However, changes in gender ratios varied strongly by socio-economic group. The greatest shift in the gender ratio for smoking occurred in the middle socio-economic group, showing an increase in the entire sample. Changes in gender ratios over time among adolescents from the highest socio-economic group were much smaller. CONCLUSIONS: The behaviour of Slovak female adolescents has become similar to that of their male peers in terms of smoking and physical activity. This shift in the gender ratio in Slovakia over the last decade mimics the shift in Western Europe from approximately two decades ago.