Adolescent Perceptions Research Articles

Intimate Partner Violence, Loss of Control, and Adolescent Perception of Birth.

This secondary analysis used cross-sectional baseline data from a previous longitudinal study exploring the mental health of 303 postpartum adolescents to examine associations and predictors reflecting the perception of the birth experience among three race-ethnic groups. Analysis of two key variables, partner violence and loss of control (LOC) during labor, revealed no association. Race-ethnic differences were noted for demographic variables (marital status, birth mode, and stress level) and perception of the birth experience. Black ethnicity, multiparity, LOC, and vaginal birth were found to predict a negative perception of the birth experience. Health-care provider awareness of risk factors can guide perinatal assessments and supportive and educational interventions to promote a positive perception of birth.

Adolescent and caregiver perceptions of addressing mental health in inflammatory bowel disease.

Adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at an increased risk of anxiety and depression compared to peers, but availability of mental health services in IBD clinics does not meet patients' needs, and use of primary care services for mental health screening and care is low. This study provides qualitative data regarding adolescent and caregiver perspectives on addressing mental health in IBD. Interviews were conducted with adolescents with IBD and caregivers of adolescents with IBD. Interview transcripts were coded and analyzed for prominent themes. Thirteen adolescents and fourteen caregivers were interviewed. Three primary themes emerged: mental health stigma makes discussing it more difficult, physician-adolescent trust makes conversations about mental health easier, and asking about mental health directly can help adolescents feel comfortable. Adolescents and caregivers highlighted the importance of considering each patient and their family individually when choosing how to discuss mental health. Fostering trust with adolescents with IBD is vital to addressing mental health. While encouraging standardized screening is important, the most patient-centered approach to mental health involves considering families individually to identify and address mental health challenges. Given the increased risk of anxiety and depression in pediatric patients with IBD, all providers encountering these patients should be equipped to discuss mental health non-judgmentally.

Exploring Determinants of Early Marriage Among Adolescent Girls in Banama Tingang, Indonesia

The number of early marriages in Central Kalimantan Province, Indonesia, has increased yearly. According to data from the Indonesian Office of Religious Affairs (KUA) and Office of Population and Civil Registration (Dukcapil), 14,540 couples married early between 2017 and 2021. This problem is caused by several factors, including teenagers' knowledge, parents' education, parents' income, parents' perceptions, and support from parents and peers. This research analyzes factors related to early marriage in Banama Tingang District, Pulang Pisau Regency. This quantitative study used a case-control design conducted in Banama Tingang District, Pulang Pisau Regency, in November 2022. The sample was determined using convenience or accidental sampling methods with 200 teenagers. The results of the Chi-Square analysis showed significant associations between early marriage and parental education (p=0.000) and parental income (p=0.022) but not with adolescent knowledge (p=1.000), parental perception (p=0.173), or parental and peer support (p=0.252). Logistic regression analysis revealed that parental education was the most dominant variable significantly associated with early marriage (p=0.000, Exp B=3.169). There was no significant relationship between adolescent knowledge, parental perception, or support from parents and peers with early marriage among adolescent girls in Banama Tingang District, Pulang Pisau Regency. In conclusion, parental education and income were found to be associated with the incidence of early marriage among young women in Banama Tingang District, Pulang Pisau Regency, with parental education being the most dominant factor.

THE IMPACT OF SUBJECTIVE PERCEPTION OF FAMILY ON THE EMOTIONS IN ADOLESCENTS

The article analyzes peculiarities of adolescent subjective perception of family and parent-child relationship, demonstrates its impact on the expressiveness of such emotional features and personality conditions as anxiety, aggressiveness, fear, emotional maladjustment. It also notes the role of the psychologist in early detection of such emotional changes with the purpose of further integrated activities aimed at correcting parent-child relationship and creating favorable social and psychological family climate. The authors draw conclusions on the development of adolescent emotional sphere under the influence of internal factors (typological and age features) as well as external ones - the conditions of social environment.

The bidirectional connection between family functioning and psychopathology: A network analysis in a large sample of adolescents with anorexia nervosa and their parents.

Family functioning is a risk and maintaining factor for anorexia nervosa (AN). This study aims to identify specific areas of family functioning according to adolescents and parental perspectives associated with eating and general psychological symptoms in people with AN. Four-hundred-forty-five adolescents with AN or atypical AN and their parents were enrolled. Adolescents completed the Eating Disorder Inventory-3, the Youth Self-Report questionnaire, and the Family Assessment Device (FAD). Their parents filled in the FAD. A network analysis was conducted including all subscales. The bridge function analysis was applied to identify the bridge nodes connecting each community constituted of family functioning perception with the communities of adolescents' eating and general psychological symptoms. Family communication was the node most strongly connecting fathers and mothers' perception of family functioning and adolescents' eating symptoms. Problem solving was the node with the highest bridge expected influence between mothers' family functioning and adolescents' general psychopathology. General functioning and problem solving were the bridge nodes between adolescents' view of family functioning and eating and general psychopathology. Maturity fear, interpersonal insecurity, and interpersonal alienation were the bridge nodes between adolescents' eating symptoms and mothers, fathers, and adolescents' family functioning communities respectively. Family members must be involved in the therapeutic process to improve family communication and problem solving diverting their attention toward emotional needs and interpersonal difficulties of adolescents with AN. Developing autonomy and independence from parents and building trustworthy relationships with peers may be favored by improving familiar dynamics and may contribute to prevent the maintenance of AN.

Gender lens review of adolescent health care services: a mixed methods study in Bangladesh

Background The application of a gender lens enables the identification of gendered power dynamics that are deeply embedded within structures and institutions. This study delved into a comprehensive analysis of gender norms of male and female adolescents in terms of their health needs, the type of health services offered to them, the barriers and facilitators for utilization of health services at the adolescent-friendly health services (AFHS) across different tiers of government health facilities through a gender lens. Methods The study was conducted at 23 health facilities across four districts of Bangladesh from February 2022 to June 2022. The study design was cross-sectional with a mixed methods approach. A total of 304 adolescents completed the survey, and 28 adolescents participated in in-depth interviews (IDI). Key-informant interviews (KII) were conducted with 48 key stakeholders, including parents, teachers, health service providers, facility managers, and health managers. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Adolescents have different needs for information about services, types of services provided, and use based on gender. There was a significant association between the marital status of adolescents and the need for different types of health services (P<0.05). Female adolescents receive tetanus-diphtheria (TD) vaccinations and iron folic acid (IFA) tablets, while male adolescents can receive them upon request. TD immunization is common among married female adolescents (14.9%) compared to unmarried female adolescents (11.8%) and unmarried male adolescents (1.1%). Unmarried female adolescents (36.1%) seek help more frequently for menstrual problems, while unmarried male adolescents (24%) are more likely to seek services related to puberty. Parents, teachers, and health service providers have different gendered perceptions of male and female adolescents’ health needs and use of health services. These perceptions contribute to understanding male and female adolescents’ utilization of services. Conclusions This study reveals that gender norms influence adolescents’ health needs, types, and utilization of services. This is probably due to differences in gendered perception of the critical stakeholders for adolescents, who sometimes face barriers in the utilization of health services at the facilities.

Perception of Adolescents in the Commune of Bandalungwa on Practices to Prevent Sexually Transmitted Infections

Background and Objective: Adolescence is a period of transition, physical maturation, identity formation and the acquisition of social roles. During this period, sexuality is perceived with a great deal of ambiguity in most parts of the world. While it is accepted that adolescents can have a sexual life, it is often considered problematic because of the risks involved: sexually transmitted infections (STIS), unwanted pregnancies and the social prohibitions imposed on adults. Method: For this, we opted for the phenomenological survey method, followed by the semi-structured interview technique using in-depth face-to-face interviews and rounded off by a data collection instrument consisting essentially of an interview guide with a Smartphone recorder. Results: After analysis and discussion, the following emerges: the adolescents interviewed represent sexually transmitted infections in several ways, as being a disease transmitted by sexual intercourse or an incident of sexual intercourse. They felt that certain practices such as fidelity, abstinence, screening and the use of condoms could help prevent STIS. However, they said that certain factors can hinder the use of these preventive measures, including lack of awareness, shame about buying condoms and lack of financial resources. Conclusion: Considering the quintessence of this scourge of STIS that plagues teenagers, the conclusion of this study proposes solutions linked to the use of condoms and also fidelity and/or abstinence.

Knowledge and Perceptions of Muslim Adolescents Regarding Pre-Marital Sexual Relations: A Qualitative Study

Changes in sexual behavior among teenagers in Indonesia are very worrying. Premarital sexual behavior can have various negative impacts on teenagers. This research aims to determine the knowledge and perceptions of teenagers regarding premarital sexual relations in Gowa Regency. The data collection method used was in-depth interviews. The sample was selected using snowball sampling as many as 7 informants. Data was analyzed qualitatively. The research results showed that the informant's knowledge about reproductive health did not have a positive impact on the informant's sexual behavior, where the informant did not limit risky sexual behavior even though the informant knew the consequences of risky sexual behavior. The informant's perception regarding sexual relations behavior (intercourse) is to seek satisfaction, have fun, the partner must belong completely and also as an expression of affection and love. This study recommends the importance of parental supervision of teenagers' attitudes and behavior through intensive and quality communication without limiting children's rights to mix with their environment. Apart from that, it is necessary to increase the role of parents and religious preachers in providing the best solutions to the problems faced by teenagers using a persuasive approach.

Electronic Cigarette : Survey of Middle School Students in Casablanca, Morocco

Electronic cigarette is a recent device. Initially designed as a substitute for smoking cessation, it’s often presented to young adolescents as less harmful alternative to conventional cigarettes. The main objective of our study is to describe and analyze the perception of adolescents and their visions concerning e-cigarette. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study launched from September 2021 to March 2022. We targeted the age group ranging from 13 to 16 years old in two schools using an anonymous questionnaire distributed in classes. 450 questionnaires were collected and 422 were retained. The average age of adolescents was 14.07 years with a standard deviation of 0.734 years. The male gender represented 49.3%. The rate of tobacco smokers was 3.1% (IC 95%, 1.8−5.2). E-cigarette was known among the majority of middle school students in 78% (CI 95%, 73.8−81.7) and experienced by 14.45% of participants (CI 95%, 11.4−18.1). Circumstances for trying vaping were dominated by “the lure of novelty/curiosity” (48%) and the desire to “be part of the smoking group/feel adult” (25%). 31% of middle school students believed that the e-cigarette was less harmful. Concerning smoking cessation using e-cigarettes more than half of middle school students (54%) had no idea on this subject due to lack of available information and 20% felt that vaping was a good way to quit smoking. The perception of e-cigarettes among young adolescents seems to be linked to its use. Preventive measures should be implemented to make them aware of its danger especially and of tobacco products in general.

Breaking the silence: navigating adolescent knowledge, attitude, and perception on substance abuse in Diyala Province, Iraq

Background: Drug use often leads to a range of health risks, social complications, and involvement in criminal behavior. This study aims to investigate adolescents' understanding, opinions, and perspectives on substance abuse. Methods: Between October and December 2023, a cross-sectional study was undertaken in Diyala Province, Iraq. High school students were sampled using a multistage sampling technique. Bivariate analysis utilized independent sample t-tests and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Additionally, a multivariable linear regression analysis was performed to predict factors associated with knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions. All statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS version 16. Results: The study encompassed 365 students, with a mean age (SD) of 17.5 (+ 8.2), predominantly male (57.3%). Overall accuracy rates for knowledge, attitude, and perception stood at 87.1%, 86.7%, and 88.7%, respectively. Approximately 5.2% of the sample reported cannabis (hashish) use. Regression analysis revealed significant associations between higher knowledge scores and male gender (p=0.002, 95% CI:0.341, 0.729), urban residency (p<0.0001, 95% CI:1.165, 4.524), and monthly income > US$400 (p >0.0001, 95% CI:0.907, 1573). Attitudes toward drug abuse prevention were influenced by male gender and highly educated parental backgrounds (p<0.001, 95% CI:1.412, 5.223; p=0.002, 95% CI: 2.160, 4.881; p=0.007, 95% CI:1.810, 5.690). Perception scores were significantly associated with male gender (p=0.001, 95% CI: 0.430, 0.691), students from smaller families (p=0.013, 95% CI:2.201, 5.003), and those in the sixth class (p=0.021, 95% CI:1.423, 4.202). Conclusion: While adolescents demonstrate a solid understanding of societal norms and consequences associated with substance abuse, there may still be areas where perceptions can be refined and aligned more closely with the realities of drug abuse.

Adolescents with type 1 diabetes' perspectives on digital health interventions to enhance health literacy: a qualitative study.

Digital health intervention offers the potential to enhance health literacy, which is crucial for effective diabetes management, especially among adolescents. Diabetes is a major global public health issue, leading to devastating complications and increasing mortality rates. The incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is also on the rise, particularly among adolescents, necessitating multisectoral strategies to combat this disease. This study explores the perceptions of adolescents with T1DM in Germany regarding digital health interventions, with the aim of improving healthcare by addressing specific needs and guiding future research. This study employed a qualitative approach using semi-structured individual interviews with adolescents with T1DM (n = 20) aged 14 to 18 years old in Germany to explore their perspectives on digital interventions for health literacy promotion. The study adopted content analysis according to Kuckartz et al. and the research followed the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist. Ethical considerations were paramount and data were rigorously analyzed using coding and iterative processes to ensure data quality and reliability. The findings indicate that within three prominent domains, namely the utilization of digital health intervention for accessing and comprehending information, facilitating peer-to-peer interactions, and enhancing physician-patient communication and interaction, digital health interventions are either underutilized or insufficiently deployed. In addition, a notable observation is the apparent lack of patient-centered approaches for adolescents with T1DM in relation to digital health interventions and health literacy. In order to enhance the utilization of digital health interventions and enhance health literacy it is essential to focus on capacity building through a patient-centered approach, to promote digital health literacy, and foster the cultivation of a participatory culture. The outcomes of this study offer valuable insights that can inform practical applications, further research endeavors, and influence policymaking.

The perception of fungi among Karajá indigenous children and adolescents from Brazil

BackgroundEnvironmental perception involves the interpretation and interaction of individuals with their surroundings, influenced by cultural, social, and individual factors. Analyzing the environmental perception of children and adolescents contributes to fostering awareness and ethical behavior toward the environment. Indigenous communities, such as the Karajá from Brazil, possess significant environmental knowledge due to their connection with nature, providing distinctive insights into biodiversity and natural interconnections. In this study, the perception of fungi among Karajá indigenous children and adolescents was investigated.MethodsThe study involved 229 elementary school students from the Macaúba, Fontoura and Santa Isabel do Morro communities, located on Bananal Island, Brazil. Students were encouraged to draw what they knew about fungi and answer where they learned about fungi and what name they give to these organisms. The drawings were analyzed considering seven categories.ResultsThe term most used to refer to fungi was hedoro(u) (56%), followed by fungus (21%) and mushroom (11%). Most students said they had learned about fungi in nature (38%) and at school (36%). The most represented organisms were in fact fungi (93%), mainly being portrayed in nature (94%). Most participants did not attribute any ecological function to fungi (83%), although 16% of them recognized fungi as decomposers and 1% as phytopathogenic agents. Negative aspects, particularly food contamination, were more frequently represented (13%) than positive aspects (4%). The drawings identified two morphological types: mushrooms (87%) and mold (13%). Among these mushrooms, 68% possibly represent the Amanita muscaria species.ConclusionsAlthough the children and adolescents showed that they noticed the fungi around them, the group’s concept and understanding were limited to the figure of the mushroom and the negative aspects related to food contamination. Strong association of the fungi with the A. muscaria is noteworthy, since it does not occur in the environment in which the participants live, suggesting that external stimuli, such as TV or the internet, can influence their perception more than the nature they are exposed to.

Comparing online versus laboratory measures of speech perception in older children and adolescents.

Given the increasing prevalence of online data collection, it is important to know how behavioral data obtained online compare to samples collected in the laboratory. This study compares online and in-person measurement of speech perception in older children and adolescents. Speech perception is important for assessment and treatment planning in speech-language pathology; we focus on the American English /ɹ/ sound because of its frequency as a clinical target. Two speech perception tasks were adapted for web presentation using Gorilla: identification of items along a synthetic continuum from rake to wake, and category goodness judgment of English /ɹ/ sounds in words produced by various talkers with and without speech sound disorder. Fifty typical children aged 9-15 completed these tasks online using a standard headset. These data were compared to a previous sample of 98 typical children aged 9-15 who completed the same tasks in the lab setting. For the identification task, participants exhibited smaller boundary widths (suggestive of more acute perception) in the in-person setting relative to the online setting. For the category goodness judgment task, there was no statistically significant effect of modality. The correlation between scores on the two tasks was significant in the online setting but not in the in-person setting, but the difference in correlation strength was not statistically significant. Overall, our findings agree with previous research in suggesting that online and in-person data collection do not yield identical results, but the two contexts tend to support the same broad conclusions. In addition, these results suggest that online data collection can make it easier for researchers connect with a more representative sample of participants.

The Relationship between Family Characteristics and Adolescent Perception of the Quality of Family Communication

Many studies consider family communication to be one of the most important protective factors for the positive development of children and adolescents in the family environment. This paper aims to clarify whether some characteristics of the family environment influence the quality of family communication in order to provide guidelines for the planning of prevention strategies that effectively improve the quality of family communication and, thus, the positive development of adolescents. Specifically, the aim is to investigate whether there are gender- and age-related differences in the assessment of the quality of family communication and whether there are differences in the assessment of the quality of family communication depending on some family characteristics. High school students from five large Croatian cities (Zagreb, Osijek, Split, Pula, and Varazdin) took part in this study. The quota sample is stratified by three Croatian high school programs, as well as by individual program orientations within each school. The results show that there are differences in assessment of the quality of family communication in relation to gender, age, living with both or one parent, and the educational and working status of the parents. The data suggest that, in addition to the timely implementation of evidence-based parenting and/or family-based prevention interventions, there is a need to invest in high-quality social policies that could lead to a better quality of family life by increasing the chances of higher educational attainment for (future) parents as well as adequate employment opportunities.

The role of perceived parent drinking motives on alcohol use among adolescents with and without childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Parent history of alcohol-related problems and antisocial behaviors contribute to adolescent alcohol use and are associated with offspring attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Youth with ADHD may be susceptible to intergenerational transmission of alcohol-related cognitions, which may model drinking motives that enhance risk for adolescent alcohol use. We examined whether childhood ADHD and parent history of alcohol use disorder, with or without antisociality, were associated with adolescents' perceptions of their parents' drinking motives and whether these perceptions predicted their alcohol use behaviors. Adolescents (N = 199; 56% with ADHD; Mage = 15.73) completed the Drinking Motives Questionnaire regarding perceptions of their parents' drinking motives. Participants subsequently reported their past-year alcohol use behaviors (Mage = 16.95). Parents reported their history of alcohol-related problems and antisocial symptoms. Covariates included adolescent gender (7% girls), race (9% self-identified Black), and parental education and marital status. Perceived parent drinking motives were highest for social and lowest for conformity motives, consistent with adult self-reports in the literature. Parent alcohol use and antisociality history predicted perceptions of parent drinking motives, and child ADHD only predicted perceptions of parent social drinking motives. Perceived parent drinking motives predicted adolescent alcohol use, but only among youth without ADHD. Findings reflect the potential importance of assessing adolescent perceptions of parent drinking motives for adolescents without ADHD and a possible need for supporting parents in communicating about their own alcohol use. Future research should consider alternative strategies (e.g., assessing implicit cognitions) for studying the link between alcohol-related cognitions and behaviors for adolescents with ADHD. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The Impact of School Closures on Childrens Stress Perception During the Covid-19 Lockdown in Germany

The present study addresses the effects of school closures during the second COVID-19 lockdown in January and February 2021 on children's feelings of stress. Numerous quantitative studies have already proven the adverse effects of school closures during the first lockdown on the stress perception of children and adolescents. In contrast, the present study uses a qualitative research format to take a closer look at the personal perspectives of children during the second lockdown. Twelve telephone interviews were conducted between February 4, 2021, and February 22, 2021, to collect data on the organization of distance learning, leisure behavior, stress symptomatology, current concerns, perceptions of school under distance learning, and perceptions of school before the school closures. Data analysis demonstrated a strong influence of loneliness, classroom management, and leisure behavior on children's perceptions of stress. Furthermore, correlations were found between school closures, stress vulnerability, and stress perception.

Adolescents Perceptions of SW·AI Education Program Effectiveness Using Concept Mapping Method

Adolescents Perceptions of SW·AI Education Program Effectiveness Using Concept Mapping Method

AUDIO VISUAL METHODS ON THE KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES OF TEENAGERS REGARDING HIV-AIDS AT SMAN 2 Central CIKARANG IN 2023

The incidence of deaths due to HIV-AIDS among young people throughout the world shows an alarming trend. Statistical data shows that every day, 4000 people, including 1100 young people (aged 15-24 years), are infected with HIV. The research aimed to assess the impact of HIV-AIDS health education media using audio-visual methods on adolescents' knowledge and attitudes at SMAN 2 Central Cikarang. The research, conducted in 2023, utilized a pre-experimental design with a pretest-posttest one-group setup. The study population comprised all SMAN 2 Central Cikarang students, totaling 814 individuals, with a sample size of 86 chosen through non-probability purposive sampling. The research instrument was a questionnaire. Statistical analysis using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test revealed a significant influence, as evidenced by an increase in the average knowledge and attitude scores of the teenagers regarding HIV-AIDS following the health education intervention (p-value = 0.000). This suggests a positive impact of audio visual methods on adolescents' understanding and perceptions of HIV-AIDS.

"Good food equals good health": a focus group study of adolescent boys' perceptions of eating and weight.

Disordered eating refers to unhealthy, sometimes excessive eating including so-called compensatory behaviours such as extreme dieting or voluntary vomiting. Between 24% and 30% of adolescent boys are suggested to engage in disordered eating, making it a significant public health issue. However, current instruments for assessing disordered eating among adolescents have been primarily developed and validated for girls and women, which may make for flawed assessment of boys. The aim of this study is to shed light on adolescent boys' perceptions of eating, weight, and food intake to better understand their perspectives in service of disordered eating research. This exploratory study was conducted from May to November 2022 using focus groups with a total of 39 adolescent boys (aged 12-19 years) who attended 7th to 12th grade in one of four schools in Southern Sweden. In addition, participants completed a form with questions on background demographics and eating habits. The transcripts of the focus group discussions were analysed using thematic analysis. The quantitative data showed that around one third of the adolescent boys were overweight or obese. They ate at least one meal per day with the family and ate healthy food about five days per week and unhealthy food about three. Analysis of the qualitative data yielded six themes: The intertwined relationship between food and one's health, "Don't worry, food makes you happy," "To be hungry or not. That is the question," Boys DO care about appearances, Dieting and weight gain, and Disordered eating is a tricky matter. Adolescent boys appeared to have a good understanding of food and healthy eating. They also experienced body positivity and seemed to have only minor issues regarding their weight. The primarily pathological perspective used to measure disordered eating among girls seems in need of revision to adhere to boys' thoughts and ideas regarding eating and weight.

Adolescent health care and perceptions in a provincial hospital in Papua New Guinea.

Adolescents make up an estimated 22 % of the 11.8 million population of Papua New Guinea (PNG), yet, as in many low and middle income countries, there are limited specific services for adolescents, who in traditional health service design fall between paediatric and adult patients. With more survivors of chronic illnesses, including tuberculosis and HIV, congenital and acquired heart disease, epilepsy and cerebral palsy, diabetes, cancer and other chronic conditions, there are gaps in the care of such young people, and in their eventual transition to adult services. Moreover, traditional health service design rarely addresses many adolescent health concerns- mental health, self-esteem, substance use, and adolescent-friendly sexual and reproductive health. This study, amongst a cohort cared for in a provincial hospital in Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea, aimed to explore the perceptions of adolescents on the health care they receive, and their views on their health priorities. A qualitative study was carried out from April to August 2022, amongst adolescents (persons aged 10-19 years) attending or admitted to Alotau Provincial Hospital. Data were collected via semi-structured wide-ranging interviews, and contextual data obtained from their medical charts. Thematic data analysis was done. Fifty-four adolescents were interviewed. Adolescents were generally content with the care they received, although many raised concerns regarding feeling out of place in a ward with older adults or infants, and staff attitudes towards them including not directly communicating. Forty four adolescents preferred an adolescent-friendly setting, as opposed to the adult or children's wards, stating that it would allow for positive peer-interaction, improve their experience in the hospital, and improve the quality of health care received. Many adolescents with chronic illnesses had concerns regarding loneliness and isolation, and uncertainty of their future. Pregnant adolescents highlighted the lack of education on sexual and reproductive health, and experiences of gender-based violence. This study shows that adolescents can perceive the need for adolescent-friendly health services and advocate for improvement in the quality of health care they receive, and the breadth of adolescent health care concerns.