Self-reported knowledge, attitude and mental health status of in-school adolescents in Nigeria
Background: The global rise in adolescent mental health conditions highlights the need for preventive interventions particularly in schools for timely access to young people, building on inherent strengths and competencies. Aim: The study aims to determine the knowledge, attitude, mental health sta...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2025-04-01
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| Series: | African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/4858 |
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| author | Atinuke O. Olowe Amme M. Tshabalala Judith C. Bruce |
| author_facet | Atinuke O. Olowe Amme M. Tshabalala Judith C. Bruce |
| author_sort | Atinuke O. Olowe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The global rise in adolescent mental health conditions highlights the need for preventive interventions particularly in schools for timely access to young people, building on inherent strengths and competencies.
Aim: The study aims to determine the knowledge, attitude, mental health status and the predictors of mental health status of in-school adolescents.
Setting: The study was conducted in government-owned secondary schools in Lagos State, Nigeria. Simple random sampling was used to select one of three senatorial districts; one junior and one senior secondary school with a nurse-led school clinic were purposively selected from the sampled district.
Methods: Within a cross-sectional survey design, a self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain data from a sample of in-school adolescents aged 10–19 years (n = 148), enrolled in junior and senior classes.
Results: Most in-school adolescents reported poor knowledge (62.2%; n = 92) and poor attitude (54.7%; n = 81) towards mental health; 37.2% (n = 55) reported being substantially at risk of conduct problems. A high proportion (79.7%) indicated normal prosocial behaviours. Level of knowledge (odds ratio [OR] = 3.25; p 0.05; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.34–7.86) as well as third or higher birth order (OR = 3.46; p 0.05; 95% CI = 1.34–8.94) were significant predictors of mental health status.
Conclusion: Most in-school adolescents lack knowledge, have a poor attitude towards mental health and are more likely to display conduct problems impacting their mental health status.
Contribution: The study provides baseline evidence for designing in-school programmes with a mental wellness focus to promote the mental health of adolescents, leveraging professional and parental networks. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1a573ed92c9644e6a79c8f8c3f81aad1 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2071-2928 2071-2936 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-1a573ed92c9644e6a79c8f8c3f81aad12025-08-20T02:14:03ZengAOSISAfrican Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine2071-29282071-29362025-04-01171e1e810.4102/phcfm.v17i1.48581237Self-reported knowledge, attitude and mental health status of in-school adolescents in NigeriaAtinuke O. Olowe0Amme M. Tshabalala1Judith C. Bruce2Department of Nursing Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; and Department of Nursing Science, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, University of Lagos, LagosDepartment of Nursing Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, JohannesburgDepartment of Nursing Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, JohannesburgBackground: The global rise in adolescent mental health conditions highlights the need for preventive interventions particularly in schools for timely access to young people, building on inherent strengths and competencies. Aim: The study aims to determine the knowledge, attitude, mental health status and the predictors of mental health status of in-school adolescents. Setting: The study was conducted in government-owned secondary schools in Lagos State, Nigeria. Simple random sampling was used to select one of three senatorial districts; one junior and one senior secondary school with a nurse-led school clinic were purposively selected from the sampled district. Methods: Within a cross-sectional survey design, a self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain data from a sample of in-school adolescents aged 10–19 years (n = 148), enrolled in junior and senior classes. Results: Most in-school adolescents reported poor knowledge (62.2%; n = 92) and poor attitude (54.7%; n = 81) towards mental health; 37.2% (n = 55) reported being substantially at risk of conduct problems. A high proportion (79.7%) indicated normal prosocial behaviours. Level of knowledge (odds ratio [OR] = 3.25; p 0.05; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.34–7.86) as well as third or higher birth order (OR = 3.46; p 0.05; 95% CI = 1.34–8.94) were significant predictors of mental health status. Conclusion: Most in-school adolescents lack knowledge, have a poor attitude towards mental health and are more likely to display conduct problems impacting their mental health status. Contribution: The study provides baseline evidence for designing in-school programmes with a mental wellness focus to promote the mental health of adolescents, leveraging professional and parental networks.https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/4858knowledgeattitudemental healthmental health statusin-school adolescents |
| spellingShingle | Atinuke O. Olowe Amme M. Tshabalala Judith C. Bruce Self-reported knowledge, attitude and mental health status of in-school adolescents in Nigeria African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine knowledge attitude mental health mental health status in-school adolescents |
| title | Self-reported knowledge, attitude and mental health status of in-school adolescents in Nigeria |
| title_full | Self-reported knowledge, attitude and mental health status of in-school adolescents in Nigeria |
| title_fullStr | Self-reported knowledge, attitude and mental health status of in-school adolescents in Nigeria |
| title_full_unstemmed | Self-reported knowledge, attitude and mental health status of in-school adolescents in Nigeria |
| title_short | Self-reported knowledge, attitude and mental health status of in-school adolescents in Nigeria |
| title_sort | self reported knowledge attitude and mental health status of in school adolescents in nigeria |
| topic | knowledge attitude mental health mental health status in-school adolescents |
| url | https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/4858 |
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