Violence-Related Behaviours among Malaysian Adolescents: A Cross Sectional Survey among Secondary School Students in Negeri Sembilan

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of violence-related behaviours among adolescents and the factors associated with it. Material and Methods: This was a cross-sectional school survey conducted on 4500 adolescent students, using a structured questionnaire. Data were collected using the supervised self-administered questionnaire [a modified version of the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance in the Malaysian National Language (Bahasa Malaysia)]. Results: Our study showed that 27.9% of students had been involved in a physical fight, 6.6% had been injured in a fight, 5.9% had carried a weapon, 7.2% had felt unsafe, 18.5% had had their money stolen and 55.0% had had their property stolen. Adolescents who carried weapons to school, smoked, used drugs, felt sad or hopeless and played truant were more likely to be involved in physical fights after adjusting for age, sex, and ethnicity. Conclusion: Violence-related behaviours among adolescents, especially involvement in physical fights, are common and are positively associated with certain factors such as smoking, taking drugs, playing truant, feeling sad or hopeless. Interventions designed at targeting adolescent violence should also address these factors and target the high-risk groups. There may be a need to identify and provide services for adolescents who exhibit these factors. Key words: Adolescents, Malaysia, Violence, Violence-related behaviour

Dysmenorrhea in a multiethnic population of adolescent Asian girls

“…The mean age at menarche in this study was consistent with the age in a local study [8] and in studies from other regions [3,5,12], and the 74.5% prevalence of dysmenorrhea was also consistent with the prevalence reported in studies involving similar age groups [5,6,8,11].…”

“…Consistent with another local report [8], most adolescent girls in this study considered their mother as their most important source of information about dysmenorrhea. However, mothers could perpetuate cultural myths, misperceptions, and negative attitudes toward dysmenorrhea.…”

“…Differences in menstrual bleeding among ethnic groups have been reported in Western communities [14]. In a local study, a higher prevalence of abnormal duration of menstrual flow was reported among Malay girls [8]. There were differences in the prevalence of dysmenorrhea among the 3 ethnic groups represented in this study, and the Malay and Indian girls had the higher rates.…”

“…Somewhat lower rates (84.2%) have been reported for Asia, with 84.2% for Southeast Asia (Thailand) [4], 68.7% for Eastern Asia [5], 74.8% for the Middle East [6], and 54.0% for Southern Asia [7]. The prevalence reported for Malaysia is 69.4% [8].…”

A Review and Meta-Analysis of the Prevalence and Health Impact of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Among Medical and Dental Students

“…Abnormal menstruation due to PCOS leading to academic absenteeism and reduced attendance at social events has been shown to further increase anxiety. These studies suggest that up to 20% of medical and dental students with PCOS experience severe pain [20][21][22], resulting in a reduced QOL, which then leads to symptoms of depression [23]. Targeted stress management programs have been shown to provide significant benefits in reducing depression and anxiety symptoms, leading to improvements in QOL among PCOS patients [24].…”