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The Influence of Parent’s Socio Economic Status on Adolescents and Youths Health Risk Behaviors in Enugu Nigeria

Received: 12 July 2019     Accepted: 4 August 2019     Published: 15 August 2019
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Abstract

Risk behaviors among the youth are associated with considerable negative health and developmental outcomes. The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between parent’s socioeconomic status and the risk behaviors practiced by adolescents and youths in Enugu. It was a cross-sectional descriptive study. Data was collected from students in 2 tertiary institutions, who were selected consecutively using semi- structured interviewer administered questionnaire. Data was analysed using SPSS version 20.0. The level of statistical significance was set at p<0.05. There was a high prevalence of priority health risk behaviors among the adolescents and youths. 35.8% drove recklessly, 41.2% used alcohol and 4.4% used “hard” drugs. 34.6% had unprotected sex, 18.7% smoked cigarette, 23.8% practiced unhealthy dietary behaviors while 38.1% indulged in sedentary lifestyle. Age, gender and socioeconomic class had profound influence on the practice of risk behaviors. The age range 15-24 years and the male gender were more involved. Sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy dietary habits were commoner among students from the upper socioeconomic class. Youths from all socioeconomic strata are susceptible to health risk behaviors, thus prevention efforts for these health concerns should be universal.

Published in Science Journal of Clinical Medicine (Volume 8, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.sjcm.20190804.11
Page(s) 33-38
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2019. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Risk Behaviours, Socio Economic Status, Adolescents, Youths, Enugu

References
[1] Jo Anne Grunbaum, Laura Kann, Steven A Kinchen, Barbara Williams, James G. Ross, Richard Lowry, et al. youth risk behavior Surveillance – US 2001. June 28, 2002/51 (SS 04); 1-64.
[2] Isiugo-Abanihe UC, Male role and responsibility in fertility and reproductive health in Nigeria. Lagos Ababa press Ltd, 2003.
[3] Diclemente RJ, Hansen W, Ponton LE. Handbook of Adolescent Health Risk Behavior. New York, NY Plenum press 1966: 1-4.
[4] Igwe SA, Nigeria’s Youth at Risk. African Health. 1992 May; 14 (4): 45-6.
[5] Lynne Haverkos, Louise C. Masse, Charlotte Pratt, Cherry Lowman. Understanding mechanisms of health risk behavior change in children and Adolescents. July 6, 2004. PA–04–121.
[6] Bearinger LH, Sieving RE. Global perspectives on the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents: patterns, prevention, and potentials. Lancet 2007; 369: 1220-1231.
[7] Ludicke F, Stalberg A. High and intermediate risk – human papilloma infection in sexually active adolescent females. J. pediatr. Adolesc Gynecol2001; 171–4.
[8] Nancy D. Brener, Laura Kann, steven A. Kinchen, Jo Anne Grunbaum, Laura Whalen, Danice Eaton et al. Methodology of the youth risk behavior surveillance system CDC, MMWR. September 24 2004/53 (RR 12); 1–13.
[9] Oyedeji GA, Socioeconomic and cultural background of Hospitalized Children in Ilesha. Nigerian Journal of Paediatrics 1985; 12: 111.
[10] Olley BO. Social and Health behaviors in youths of the streets of Ibadan, Nigeria. The international journal of child abuse and neglect. March 2006, P 271–282.
[11] Lowry R, Kann L, Collins JL, Kolbe LJ. The effect of socioeconomic status on chronic disease risk behavior among US adolescents. The journal of the American Medical Association vol. 276 No. 10, September 11, 1996. 12. Goodman E. the role of socioeconomic status gradients in explaining differences in US adolescents’ health. Am J public health 1999; 89: 1522-1528.
[12] Jin-Won Noh, Young-eun Kim, In-Hwan OH, Young DaeKwon. Influences of socioeconomic factors on childhood and adolescent overweight by gender in Korea: cross-sectional analysis of nationally representative sample. BMC Public Health 2014; 14: 324.
[13] Ruth R Kipping, Michèle Smith, Jon Heron, Matthew Hickman, and Rona Campbell Multiple risk behaviour in adolescence and socio-economic status: findings from a UK birth cohort Eur J Public Health. 2015 Feb; 25 (1): 44–49.
[14] Santelli JS, Lowry R, Leah R. The association of sexual behaviours with socio economic status, family structure, and race/ethnicity among US adolescents. Am J Public Health 2000; 90 (10): 1582-88.
[15] Adler NE, Ostrove JM. Socioeconomic status and health. What we know and what we don’t. Ann NY Acad sci. 1999; 896: 3-15.
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  • APA Style

    Vivian Ozoemena Onukwuli. (2019). The Influence of Parent’s Socio Economic Status on Adolescents and Youths Health Risk Behaviors in Enugu Nigeria. Science Journal of Clinical Medicine, 8(4), 33-38. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjcm.20190804.11

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    ACS Style

    Vivian Ozoemena Onukwuli. The Influence of Parent’s Socio Economic Status on Adolescents and Youths Health Risk Behaviors in Enugu Nigeria. Sci. J. Clin. Med. 2019, 8(4), 33-38. doi: 10.11648/j.sjcm.20190804.11

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    AMA Style

    Vivian Ozoemena Onukwuli. The Influence of Parent’s Socio Economic Status on Adolescents and Youths Health Risk Behaviors in Enugu Nigeria. Sci J Clin Med. 2019;8(4):33-38. doi: 10.11648/j.sjcm.20190804.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.sjcm.20190804.11,
      author = {Vivian Ozoemena Onukwuli},
      title = {The Influence of Parent’s Socio Economic Status on Adolescents and Youths Health Risk Behaviors in Enugu Nigeria},
      journal = {Science Journal of Clinical Medicine},
      volume = {8},
      number = {4},
      pages = {33-38},
      doi = {10.11648/j.sjcm.20190804.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjcm.20190804.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjcm.20190804.11},
      abstract = {Risk behaviors among the youth are associated with considerable negative health and developmental outcomes. The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between parent’s socioeconomic status and the risk behaviors practiced by adolescents and youths in Enugu. It was a cross-sectional descriptive study. Data was collected from students in 2 tertiary institutions, who were selected consecutively using semi- structured interviewer administered questionnaire. Data was analysed using SPSS version 20.0. The level of statistical significance was set at p<0.05. There was a high prevalence of priority health risk behaviors among the adolescents and youths. 35.8% drove recklessly, 41.2% used alcohol and 4.4% used “hard” drugs. 34.6% had unprotected sex, 18.7% smoked cigarette, 23.8% practiced unhealthy dietary behaviors while 38.1% indulged in sedentary lifestyle. Age, gender and socioeconomic class had profound influence on the practice of risk behaviors. The age range 15-24 years and the male gender were more involved. Sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy dietary habits were commoner among students from the upper socioeconomic class. Youths from all socioeconomic strata are susceptible to health risk behaviors, thus prevention efforts for these health concerns should be universal.},
     year = {2019}
    }
    

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Author Information
  • Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu campus/University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku/Ozalla, Enugu

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