Prevalence and associated factors of physical fighting among school-going adolescents in Namibia

Abstract

BackgroundInterpersonal physical violence is an important global public health concern that has received limited attention in the developing world. There is in particular a paucity of data regarding physical violence and its socio-demographic correlates among in-school adolescents in Namibia.MethodsWe analysed cross-sectional data from the Namibia Global School-Based Health Survey (GSHS) conducted in 2004. We aimed to estimate the prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of physical fighting within the last 12 months. We obtained frequencies of socio-demographic attributes. We also assessed the association between self-reported history of having engaging in a physical fight and a selected list of independent variables using logistic regression analysis.ResultsOf the 6283 respondents, 50.6% (55.2% males and 46.2% females) reported having been in a physical fight in the past 12 months. Males were more likely to have been in a physical fight than females (OR = 1.71, 95% CI (1.44, 2.05)). Smoking, drinking alcohol, using drugs and bullying victimization were positively associated with fighting (OR = 1.91, 95% CI (1.49, 2.45); OR = 1.48, 95% CI (1.21, 1.81); OR = 1.55, 95% CI (1.22, 1.81); and OR = 3.12, 95% CI (2.62, 3.72), respectively). Parental supervision was negatively associated with physical fighting (OR = 0.82, 95% CI (0.69, 0.98)). Both male and female substance users (cigarette smoking, alcohol and drug use) were more likely to engage in physical fighting than non-substance users (OR = 3.53, 95% CI (2.60, 4.81) for males and OR = 11.01, 95% CI (7.25, 16.73) for females). Parental supervision was negatively associated with physical fighting (OR = 0.85, 95% CI (0.72, 0.99)).ConclusionPrevalence of physical fighting within the last 12 months was comparable to estimates obtained in European countries. We also found clustering of problem behaviours or experiences among adolescents who reported having engaged in physical violence in the past 12 months. There is a need to bring adolescent violent behaviour to the fore of the public health agenda in Namibia.

Physical Fighting and Social Correlates among In-School Adolescents in the Caribbean

“…Some research has suggested that traditional masculine gender socialization and social and cultural norms encourage men to engage in behaviours that put their health at risk (Mahalik, Burns & Syzdek, 2007;Rudatsikira et al, 2007). This study, also found in agreement with other studies (Bailey, 2011;Pickett et al, 2013;Shetgiri et al, 2010) that hunger as an indicator of low economic status was associated with a higher risk of physical fighting.…”

“…In all study countries males were more likely to be engaged in physical fights than females, which concurs with previous studies (Pickett et al, 2013;Rudatsikira et al, 2007Shetgiri et al, 2010). Some research has suggested that traditional masculine gender socialization and social and cultural norms encourage men to engage in behaviours that put their health at risk (Mahalik, Burns & Syzdek, 2007;Rudatsikira et al, 2007).…”

“…Other research (Sosin, Koepsell, Rivara & Mercy, 1995) indicated that fighting behaviour could be one of the most reliable makers of multiple problem behaviour. This clustering of unhealthy problem behaviours may suggest that adolescents who are likely to engage in physical fights are also likely to be involved in other problem behaviours (Rudatsikira et al, 2007). The study also found that adolescents who reported to have been bullied themselves were more likely to have engaged in physical fights.…”

“…Factors associated with physical fighting among adolescents have been identified as follows: 1) Socioeconomic factors [male gender (Pickett et al, 2013;Rudatsikira, Siziya, Kazembe & Muula, 2007;Shetgiri, Kataoka, Ponce, Flores & Chung, 2010); older age (Pickett et al, 2013); low economic status (Bailey, 2011;Pickett et al, 2013;Shetgiri et al, 2010]; 2) Risk behaviours (Pickett et al, 2013), substance use (alcohol use, smoking, drug use) (Fraga, Ramos, Dias & Barros, 2011;Reid, Garcia-Reid, Klein & McDougall, 2008;Rudatsikira et al, , 2010Shetgiri et al, 2010), bullying victimization (Celedonia, Wilson, El Gammal & Hagras, 2013;Pickett et al, 2013;Rudatsikira et al, 2007;Rudatsikira, Mataya, Siziya & Muula, 2008), early sexual debut (Fraga et al, 2011 ;Ohene, Ireland & Blum, 2005), drank more than five cans of soft drinks per week (Solnick & Hemenway, 2012); 3) Psychological distress [depressive symptoms (Celedonia et al, 2013;Shetgiri et al, 2010); feeling irritable or bad tempered (Smith-Khuri et al, 2004)]; 4) Lack of protective factors [lack of parental supervision (Rudatsikira et al, 2007, lack of helpful peers (Celedonia et al, 2013); lack of understanding parents (Celedonia et al, 2013), lack of family support (Shetgiri et al, 2010;Williams, Rivera, Neighbours & Reznik, 2007); lack of school support (Shetgiri et al, 2010;Williams et al, 2007).…”

La asociación entre la exposición a la violencia, alcohol y drogas en el perfil psicosocial de adolescentes México-Americanos de bajos recursos

“…Evidence suggests that engagement in heavy drinking during adolescence has profound consequences for brain development, mainly associated with neurocognitive dysfunction (Colby et al, 2012;Elofson, Gongvatana, & Carey, 2013;Squeglia, Schweinsburg, Pulido, & Tapert, 2011). A variety of other adverse health outcomes are also related to drinking during adolescence, including engagement in high risk behaviors such as drunk driving (Dhami, Mandel, & Garcia-Retamero, 2011;Kuntsche & Muller, 2012), substance-abuse (Ahlm, Saveman, & Bjornstig, 2013;Hensing, 2012;Huang, Lin, Lee, & Guo, 2013), physical fighting (Fraga, Ramos, Dias, & Barros, 2011;Rudatsikira, Siziya, Kazembe, & Muula, 2007), and/or unsafe sexual behaviors (Hipwell, Stepp, Chung, Durand, & Keenan, 2012;Imaledo, Peter-Kio, & Asuquo, 2012;Jackson, Sweeting, & Haw, 2012). Alcohol exposure at an early age also makes adolescents vulnerable to interpersonal violence, both as victims and perpetrators, suggesting it plays a role in recurring cycles of violence (Cui, Ueno, Gordon, & Fincham, 2013;Haynie et al, 2013;Reed et al, 2013;Thornberry & Henry, 2013; P. W. Wang et al, 2013).…”