Multi-type childhood maltreatment: associations with health risk behaviours and mental health problems in adolescence

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 191-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariella Mangion ◽  
Sandra C. Buttigieg
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Child Maltreatment ◽  
Health Risk ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Cumulative Exposure ◽  
Risk Behaviours ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health Risk Behaviours ◽  
Mental Health Questionnaire

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine whether multi-type child maltreatment is associated with health-risk behaviours and mental ill-health in adolescence. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 406 15-16-year-old students from Maltese schools answered the “Child maltreatment physical and mental health” questionnaire (Nguyen et al., 2010). This assessed demographics, health risk behaviour, mental health and child maltreatment. Findings – Of the four categories of maltreatment measured (physical, sexual, emotional and neglect), 27.4 per cent of the young people experienced one type, 16.6 per cent two types, 11.1 per cent three and 6.5 per cent four. For health-risk behaviours, there were positive relationships between multi-type maltreatment and school fights (r=0.27, p<0.01), breaking school rules (r=0.19, p<0.01), illicit drug use (r=0.14, p<0.05) and alcohol use (r=0.10, p<0.05). As regards mental health, multi-type maltreatment was positively associated with depression (r=0.38, p<0.01) and anxiety (r=0.23, p<0.01), and negatively associated with self-esteem (r=−0.26, p<0.01). Practical implications – Early recognition of multi-type maltreatment and its consequences enables providers of children's services to offer the required diverse range of services. Additionally, policy makers should ensure the adoption of multi-sectoral and collaborative inter-agency approaches so as to effectively and holistically manage child maltreatment, not only during the acute childhood phase but also during adolescence and adulthood, when consequences are expected to emerge. Originality/value – This study raises awareness about the prevalence of multi-type child maltreatment in Malta. It also highlights the negative association between cumulative exposure to multi-type child maltreatment and mental health outcomes and risky behaviours.

Identification of health risk behaviours among adolescent refugees resettling in Western Australia

2017 ◽  
Vol 103 (3) ◽  
pp. 240-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kajal Hirani ◽  
Sarah Cherian ◽  
Raewyn Mutch ◽  
Donald N Payne
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Risk ◽  
Adolescent Health ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Psychosocial Health ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
Risk Behaviours ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Adolescent Refugees ◽  
Health Risk Behaviours

ObjectiveAdolescent refugees encounter traumatic stressors and are at risk of developing psychosocial health problems; limited research data exist internationally. This study aims to identify health risk behaviours among adolescent refugees resettling in Western Australia and assess the feasibility of using a standardised adolescent health questionnaire for this purpose.DesignRefugees aged 12 years and above attending a tertiary Refugee Health Service (RHS) were recruited over 12 months. Sociodemographic data were collected. Psychosocial assessments based on the ‘Home, Education/Eating, Activities, Drugs, Sexuality, Suicide/mental health’ (HEADSS) framework were undertaken utilising interpreters where required. Health concerns identified were managed through the RHS.ResultsA total of 122 adolescents (20 ethnicities) participated; 65% required interpreters. Median age (range) was 14 (12–17) years. Most (80%) had nuclear family separation. Almost half (49%) had a deceased/missing family member. A third (37%) had lived in refugee camps and 20% had experienced closed detention. The median time (range) since arrival in Australia was 11 (2–86) months. Every adolescent had at least one health concern identified during the psychosocial assessment. Frequency of health concerns identified in each domain were 87% for home, 66% for education, 23% for eating, 93% for activities, 5% for drugs, 88% for sexuality and 61% for suicide/mental health. Most adolescents (75%) required intervention, consisting of counselling for health risk behaviours and/or referral to health or community services.ConclusionIt is feasible to use a standardised adolescent health questionnaire to identify health risk behaviours among a cohort of ethnically diverse adolescent refugees. Use of the questionnaire identified a large burden of psychosocial health issues requiring multidisciplinary intervention.

scholarly journals Saudi Arabian university students’ perceptions of health risk behaviours

2019 ◽  
Vol 119 (4) ◽  
pp. 291-308
Author(s):  
Saad Zafir Alshehri ◽  
Jenny Byrne ◽  
Marcus Grace
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Health Risk ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Saudi Arabian ◽  
Personal Factors ◽  
Risk Behaviours ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health Risk Behaviours ◽  
Saudi Arabian Students ◽  
Specific Health

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how and why Saudi Arabian students engage in specific health risk behaviours (HRBs), and if there are gender differences. Design/methodology/approach In order to find out the situation regarding university students in Saudi Arabia, quantitative data were collected by administering questionnaires to 722 respondents, and qualitative data were collected using a series of interviews with 17 students. Findings The findings of this mixed methods sequential explanatory study suggest that lifestyle and personal factors, as well as economic, social, policy and other aspects of the environment played a significant role in influencing students’ HRBs. Recommendations for mitigating HRBs among these students and other youth in the Saudi Arabian context are provided. Originality/value This paper addresses an important gap in the research on HRBs among university students from the perspectives of students.

Substance misuse, mental health problems and recurrent child maltreatment

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne-Marie Laslett ◽  
Robin Room ◽  
Paul Dietze
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Child Maltreatment ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Substance Misuse ◽  
Alcohol Misuse ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Drug Misuse ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine whether the diagnosis of both carers’ mental health problems and substance misuse increase the likelihood of recurrent child maltreatment over and above the individual effects of these factors. Design/methodology/approach – Retrospective secondary data analysis of 29,455 children where child maltreatment was confirmed in the Victorian child protection system between 2001 and 2005. Recorded mental health, alcohol misuse and other drug misuse variables were entered into multivariate logistic regression models predicting repeated child maltreatment. Interactions and a range of other child, carer and socio-economic factors were included in these models. Findings – Carer alcohol misuse, other drug misuse and mental ill health all independently predicted recurrent child maltreatment. The presence of both other drug misuse and mental ill health increased the likelihood that recurrent child abuse was recorded over the likelihood that mental health alone predicted recurrent child maltreatment, and while alcohol misuse had an effect when there was no mental health condition recorded it did not have an additional effect when there was evidence of mental health problems. Research limitations/implications – Children in families where there is both mental health problems and other drug use problems are at greater risk of repeated maltreatment than where there is evidence of mental health problems or other drug use alone. Where there was evidence of carer mental health problems, alcohol misuse did not add to this likelihood. However, the effect of mental health and other drug use was similar in size to the effect of alcohol misuse alone. Originality/value – These findings add to understandings of the effects of co-occurring mental health problems and substance misuse on recurrent child maltreatment and differentiate between cases that involve alcohol and other drug misuse.

scholarly journals Trends of Alcohol Use, Dietary Behaviour, Interpersonal Violence, Mental Health, Oral and Hand Hygiene Behaviour among Adolescents in Lebanon: Cross-Sectional National School Surveys from 2005, 2011 and 2017

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (19) ◽  
pp. 7096
Author(s):  
Supa Pengpid ◽  
Karl Peltzer
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Health Risk ◽  
Interpersonal Violence ◽  
Dietary Behaviour ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Risk Behaviours ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Health Risk Behaviours

Health risk behaviours during adolescence can have long-term negative consequences. Little is known, however, about the recent health risk behaviour trends in adolescents in Lebanon. This investigation aimed to report the trends in the prevalence of various health risk behaviours, such as alcohol use, dietary behaviour, interpersonal violence, mental health, oral and hand hygiene, among adolescents in Lebanon. Cross-sectional nationally representative data were analysed from 13,109 adolescents (14 years median age) that participated in three waves (2005, 2011 and 2017) of the “Lebanon Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS)”. Results indicate that significant improvements were found among both boys and girls in the decline in interpersonal violence (bulling victimization, being physically attack and involvement in physical fighting), poor washing of hands after using the toilet, and suicide planning, and among girls only loneliness, worry-induced sleep disturbance and suicidal ideation. Significant increases were found among both boys and girls in the prevalence of inadequate fruit consumption, and among boys only unintentional injury and not always washing hands before eating. In conclusion, several decreases but also increases in health risk behaviours were found over three assessment points during a period of 12 years calling for continued health enhancing activities in this adolescent population.

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