Physical Health Needs of High School Female Adolescents and Related Factors in Tabriz in 2020

Abstract

BackgroundAdolescence is a very important and sensitive period of life and paying attention to the health of this period is of particular importance. Therefore, paying attention to the health of female adolescents, as future mothers, is doubly important.ObjectivesThis study was performed aiming to determine the physical health needs of female adolescents and related factors in the city of Tabriz, Iran.MethodsThis descriptive-analytical study was performed on 435 high school female adolescents in the city of Tabriz using two-stage sampling method, in 2020. A demographic information form and the Female Adolescents Health Needs Questionnaire (FAHNQ; Shah Hosseini et al.) as a native questionnaire (validity=0.92, reliability=0.90) were used to collect data. Data analysis was performed by one-sample t-test, independent t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Duncan’s post hoc test using SPSS software version 16.ResultsAccording to the findings, 90.34% and 9.66% of the samples attended public and non-public schools, respectively. The field of study of 53.79% of the participants was experimental sciences and 43.45% were studying in tenth grade. The level of physical health needs of female adolescents in Tabriz was high. The physical health needs of the study samples in public schools were higher than non-public schools, with twelfth-grade students more than other grades (P<0.05). By increasing grade point average (GPA), family income, and consequently more access to the Internet and cell phones, adolescents’ physical health needs decreased (P<0.05).ConclusionAccording to the results, the physical health needs of female adolescents were high and one of the most relevant factors was the economic status. Therefore, it is recommended to plan and take measures to meet adolescents’ health needs through the participation of parents, education officials, and other institutions.