Conceptualisation of health among young people: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies
Introduction Self-reported health is a widely used measure of general health in survey research. Qualitative studies that investigate young people’s conceptualisation of health are hard to locate and use different measures of health and sample construction. This review aims to synthesise the finding...
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BMJ Publishing Group
2025-06-01
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| Series: | BMJ Public Health |
| Online Access: | https://bmjpublichealth.bmj.com/content/3/1/e001648.full |
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| author | Andrew James Williams Frank Sullivan Katrin Metsis Joanna Inchley Sebastian Vrahimis Lamorna Brown |
| author_facet | Andrew James Williams Frank Sullivan Katrin Metsis Joanna Inchley Sebastian Vrahimis Lamorna Brown |
| author_sort | Andrew James Williams |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction Self-reported health is a widely used measure of general health in survey research. Qualitative studies that investigate young people’s conceptualisation of health are hard to locate and use different measures of health and sample construction. This review aims to synthesise the findings of qualitative studies that investigate how young people conceptualise their health, including during self-assessments.Methods We searched MEDLINE (Ovid), PsycINFO (APA PsycNet), ProQuest Sociology Collection (Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts/Sociological Abstracts/Sociology Database) and Web of Science Core Collection without date restrictions. Searches were last updated on 11 March 2025. We searched the reference lists of relevant studies and conducted backward and forward citation searching. Papers reporting qualitative primary studies that focused on the conceptualisation of health among 10–24-year olds were included. We used the Quality Framework for quality appraisal and the thematic synthesis strategy for data synthesis.Results Twenty-one studies from 11 countries with a pooled sample of 1434 participants met the inclusion criteria. We developed two analytical themes: (1) ‘dimensions of health’ and (2) ‘health in context’ with eight subthemes. Factors from the physical dimension of health, such as symptoms, physical activity or diet, dominate in young people’s conceptualisation of health; these factors are also considered when responding to self-assessed general health questions in the surveys. When the survey question uses the word ‘feel’, respondents discuss elements from physical, social and mental dimensions, and their interaction in the formation of health. In some studies, young people describe health in relation to context.Conclusions This is the first systematic review of the conceptualisation of health among young people. Our findings indicate that self-reported general health questions in the surveys invite young people to focus on the physical aspects of health. Overall, young people hold a holistic conceptualisation of health. To improve the understanding of young people’s health, future research needs to focus on conceptual clarity. Different wording captures different aspects of health that need to be balanced for optimal development of young people’s health.PROSPERO registration number CRD42022367519. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-81990c1af3b1426cb62ff387e3ced73e |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2753-4294 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-81990c1af3b1426cb62ff387e3ced73e2025-08-20T02:24:15ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Public Health2753-42942025-06-013110.1136/bmjph-2024-001648Conceptualisation of health among young people: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studiesAndrew James Williams0Frank Sullivan1Katrin Metsis2Joanna Inchley3Sebastian Vrahimis4Lamorna Brown52 Scottish Collaboration for Public Health Research and Policy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UKSchool of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UKSchool of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK1Institute of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, UKSchool of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UKSchool of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UKIntroduction Self-reported health is a widely used measure of general health in survey research. Qualitative studies that investigate young people’s conceptualisation of health are hard to locate and use different measures of health and sample construction. This review aims to synthesise the findings of qualitative studies that investigate how young people conceptualise their health, including during self-assessments.Methods We searched MEDLINE (Ovid), PsycINFO (APA PsycNet), ProQuest Sociology Collection (Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts/Sociological Abstracts/Sociology Database) and Web of Science Core Collection without date restrictions. Searches were last updated on 11 March 2025. We searched the reference lists of relevant studies and conducted backward and forward citation searching. Papers reporting qualitative primary studies that focused on the conceptualisation of health among 10–24-year olds were included. We used the Quality Framework for quality appraisal and the thematic synthesis strategy for data synthesis.Results Twenty-one studies from 11 countries with a pooled sample of 1434 participants met the inclusion criteria. We developed two analytical themes: (1) ‘dimensions of health’ and (2) ‘health in context’ with eight subthemes. Factors from the physical dimension of health, such as symptoms, physical activity or diet, dominate in young people’s conceptualisation of health; these factors are also considered when responding to self-assessed general health questions in the surveys. When the survey question uses the word ‘feel’, respondents discuss elements from physical, social and mental dimensions, and their interaction in the formation of health. In some studies, young people describe health in relation to context.Conclusions This is the first systematic review of the conceptualisation of health among young people. Our findings indicate that self-reported general health questions in the surveys invite young people to focus on the physical aspects of health. Overall, young people hold a holistic conceptualisation of health. To improve the understanding of young people’s health, future research needs to focus on conceptual clarity. Different wording captures different aspects of health that need to be balanced for optimal development of young people’s health.PROSPERO registration number CRD42022367519.https://bmjpublichealth.bmj.com/content/3/1/e001648.full |
| spellingShingle | Andrew James Williams Frank Sullivan Katrin Metsis Joanna Inchley Sebastian Vrahimis Lamorna Brown Conceptualisation of health among young people: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies BMJ Public Health |
| title | Conceptualisation of health among young people: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies |
| title_full | Conceptualisation of health among young people: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies |
| title_fullStr | Conceptualisation of health among young people: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Conceptualisation of health among young people: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies |
| title_short | Conceptualisation of health among young people: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies |
| title_sort | conceptualisation of health among young people a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies |
| url | https://bmjpublichealth.bmj.com/content/3/1/e001648.full |
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