Predictive Markers and Self-Perceived Health in Adolescents: An Exploration Through a School-Based Public Health Survey
Adolescence is a critical developmental stage marked by significant physical, emotional, and social changes that profoundly influence health behaviors. Public health plays a crucial role in promoting adolescent well-being, developing health education programs, community campaigns, and evidence-based...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Adolescents |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7051/5/2/16 |
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| Summary: | Adolescence is a critical developmental stage marked by significant physical, emotional, and social changes that profoundly influence health behaviors. Public health plays a crucial role in promoting adolescent well-being, developing health education programs, community campaigns, and evidence-based prevention policies to mitigate risk factors associated with adolescent health, behavior, and lifestyle patterns. The aim of this study is to examine self-perceived health, mood, sleep patterns, substance use, dietary habits, and leisure activities among 120 adolescents aged 14 to 17 in a municipal school near Barcelona. The findings reveal that in the mood state distribution, boys are 2.34-times more likely to report a positive mood than girls. In the prevalence of addictive substance and alcohol use between male and female adolescents, 82.6% of girls reported an alcohol consumption that was significantly higher than the 56.9% of boys (<i>p</i> = 0.003). Similarly, 42.15% of girls had smoked at least once, compared to 19.83% of boys (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Physical inactivity was more prevalent among girls (17.4%) than boys (11.8%), indicating potential barriers to participation. The distribution of sleep hours between boys and girls shows notable differences in the 8.5 h sleep category (<i>p</i> = 0.0090). Skipping breakfast was more common among girls (33.3%) than boys (21.6%). Night-out frequency and return times have an identical proportion between boys and girls. This study underscores the necessity of implementing gender-sensitive public health strategies to address disparities in substance use, physical activity, and dietary habits, while promoting sleep hygiene and overall adolescent well-being through municipal and community-based initiatives. |
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| ISSN: | 2673-7051 |