1- Counseling and Reproductive Health Research Center, Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Golestan University of Medical Sciences(GOUMS), Gorgan, Iran , arab.sahar71@gmail.com
2- Counseling and Reproductive Health Research Center, Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Golestan University of Medical Sciences(GOUMS), Gorgan, Iran.
3- Department Public Health, Health Management and Social Development Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Siences, Gorgan, Iran.
Abstract: (3069 Views)
Background: Health concerns are common issues during adolescence due to the wide range of changes and challenges in this period. As a major population of many countries, including Iran, adolescents need some opportunities to express their thoughts and concerns. Identifying the worrisome subjects among this population group can help us in providing appropriate health education and consultations. Considering that in the majority of studies, adolescent girls express higher concerns compared to boys and since they are more mentally vulnerable than boys, the study aimed to determine health concerns of adolescent’s high school girls from their personal perspectives in Gorgan."
Methods: This study was a quantitative content analysis based on responses of high school female students in private and public schools in Gorgan. The sample size of this study) at least 500 people (was based on the population ratio of high school girls in the public and private schools. As a result, three public and two private schools were randomly chosen. From each grade in the schools, one class was randomly selected. Assenting to take part in the study, adolescents high school girls were asked to fill an anonymous sheet containing demographic information with an open question at the bottom of the sheet in the form of: “Dear adolescent please write down all the concerns you have in your daily lives in the assigned space below”; Finally, 548 sheets were collected and analyzed.
Results: The findings showed that 3 categories including “Self” (%93.8) with 11 subcategories including “education”, “Occupation”, ”Future life”, “Health”, “Marriage”, ”Nutrition”, “Religions”, “Exercise and Recreational activities”, “Appearance“, “Puberty“, and “Risky behavior, “Significant Others“(%44.8) with 3 subcategories including “Family”, “Peers”, and “School staff”, and finally “Peripheral system”(%21.2) with 4 subcategories including “Society“, “School”, “Environment”, and “Cyberspace” as the main adolescents were found as health concern sources.
Conclusions: Based on the findings of the present study, it can be stated that Iranian adolescents experience an atmosphere full of educational, career, family, social, and the future concerns. Thus, modifying the educational system and job creation should be seriously considered by the policy makers to reduce adolescents' health concerns. In this regard, periodical evaluation of health concerns in high schools are recommended. In fact, our findings can give adolescents a stronger voice to increase policy maker’s awareness regarding the adolescents` concerns.
perspective:
Original Article |
Subject:
Nursing