Health Concerns and Risk Behaviors of Rural Adolescents

Abstract

Although much has been written about the health status of adolescents, little is known about adolescents' perception of their own health. The purpose of this article is to describe the health concerns of rural adolescents. Two national studies, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey and the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health Project), are used as comparisons. Data from the rural survey represent 624 community adolescents attending 4 rural Pennsylvania schools. The students were in the 9th, 10th, and 11th grades. The Adolescent Health Inventory was used to report concerns related to general health, psychosocial issues, and risk behaviors. Overall, rural adolescents in the study reported an average of 6.5 (SD = 3.2) health concerns with frequencies of occurrence being always or often and reported an average involvement in 1 (SD = 1.3) risk behavior. Psychosocial issues were reported by 28%, and 23% worried about their general health. Frequently reported risk behaviors included alcohol use, drug use, and a lack of exercise. There was minimal concern expressed regarding venereal disease or AIDS, whereas 12% expressed concern about the possibility of pregnancy. These results suggest the likelihood that adolescents perceive health from a holistic perspective and that health promotion programs should consider involving adolescents in planning, both (a) to ensure congruence of the plan of care with adolescents' concerns and (b) to clarify the interpretation and meaning of their concerns. We present implications for the community health nurse.

Anger Correlated with Psychosocial Variables in Rural Youth

“…Social support has been studied repeatedly and shown to offset the negative effects of anger by encouraging health-promoting behaviors (Ebata & Moos, 1994;Puskar, Tusaie-Mumford, Sereika, & Lamb, 1999b;Speilberger, 1999;Yeaton & Sechrest, 1981). Increasing levels of social support have been positively associated with decreasing depressive tendencies (Heponiemi et al, 2006) and reducing alcohol use in adolescent populations (HamdanMansour, Puskar, & Serieka, 2007).…”

Identification of Suicide Risk Among Rural Youth: Implications for the Use of HEADSS

“…Psychosocial concerns included stressors and coping methods, anxiety, anger, somatic complaints, depression, health, and risk behaviors (Puskar & Martsolf, 1993; Puskar, Ren, Bernardo, Haley, & Stark, 2008; Puskar, Sereika, & Haller, 2003; Puskar, Tusaie-Mumford, Sereika, & Lamb, 1999a and 1999b). Common stressors identified by students were school (exams, tests, and grades), family (fighting with parents and loss of a family member), and friendship/social concerns (girlfriends, boyfriends, and dating) (Puskar & Martsolf).…”

“…Common stressors identified by students were school (exams, tests, and grades), family (fighting with parents and loss of a family member), and friendship/social concerns (girlfriends, boyfriends, and dating) (Puskar & Martsolf). Problems identified in another study included confusion about the future, depression, feeling lonely, trouble at home, suicidal thoughts, lack of a best friend, tobacco and alcohol use, sexual abuse, and general health concerns of both a physiological and psychosocial nature (feeling tired, being overweight, and headaches) (Puskar et al, 1999a). Puskar and colleagues also found that depression, negative life events, anxiety, and drug use were related to anger (Puskar et al, 2008).…”

Perceived Social Support, Coping Strategies and Alcohol Use among Rural Adolescents/USA Sample

“…Previous studies have found that lack of health care access and lack of substance use and abuse health services in rural areas makes the adolescents more vulnerable to several risk behaviors such as alcohol use (Puskar, Tusaie-Mumford, Sereika, & Lamb, 1999;Wagenfeld, Murray, Muhatt, & DeBryn, 1994). Rural America has undergone several social and economic changes in the last few decades.…”

“…Consequently, people in rural communities have to travel for long distances to get this service. Moreover, rural adolescents are in great challenge due to the lack of health care provision and access, poverty, unemployment and transportation problems (Puskar et al, 1999).…”