Teenagers and their health.

Abstract

SUMMARY Six hundred and forty three children aged 14 to 16, attending three upper schools in Oxfordshire, filled in a health questionnaire. Although over 90% rated their health as fair or good, three quarters had taken medicine in the previous four weeks, three quarters had complained of headaches, and three quarters had had dental fillings. In addition, a third drank alcohol at least once a week, a third felt depressed at least once a week, and a third had had time off school for illness in the previous four weeks. There were strong associations between smoking tobacco and other forms of drug abuse.On the positive side, most children felt responsible for their own health with three quarters agreeing that good health is mainly due to sensible living. Over 85% turned first to their parents for medical advice.Fashions and attitudes to health and medical problems among teenagers fluctuate over short periods of time in much the same way as do their other behaviour patterns, such as manner of dress, musical tastes, emulation of popular heroes and so on. In addition the degree to which they are exposed to certain kinds of decisions and pressures concerning the use of drugs, the expectation of earlier sexual relationships, and the prospect of unemployment on leaving school, for example, have greatly increased. Parents, doctors, and teachers may therefore find it difficult to give clear advice when consulted by this age group because of lack of knowledge and not having come to terms with such morally challenging problems themselves.These changes combined with the perception that teenagers have few medical problems could explain the lack of reliable information concerning their health needs, interests, and attitudes.' 2 Detailed and up to date information must surely, therefore, be vital to all those concerned with health promotion and the health of school children including the children themselves, their parents, doctors, nurses, teachers, and health educators.The present study was undertaken to obtain the views of this age group about their health and health problems, to provide a suitable database that could be updated at regular intervals. MethodsThe study was undertaken in the spring and summer of 1985 at three of the 36 'upper' coeducational comprehensive schools in Oxfordshire. They were selected to be representative of the whole fourth year 'upper school' population of the district. Two schools were therefore urban, one more middle class than the other, and the third covered a small town and rural population. The subjects were all children aged 14 to 16.No detailed information concerning social class was available from the schools and the teachers felt that it would be inappropriate to ask about parents' occupations in the questionnaire. After obtaining parental permission the children were, in cooperation with the teachers, given a general health questionnaire containing 40 questions most of which were multiple choice; a few more were open ended. Although the questionnaire was designed by the authors, several of...

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