Well-being Of Adolescent Girls Research Articles

Smartphone use and well-being of adolescent girls: a population-based study

Background and objectivesRecent studies have reported an increasing incidence of anxiety among adolescent girls, and associated this with self-reported social media use. This study aimed to measure smartphone and social...

Adolescent marriage a violation of sexual and reproductive health rights: Trend, spatial variation and covariate analysis from national family health survey

IntroductionTen-to-Nineteen-year adolescent period is a very sensitive time for both boys and girls. Especially adolescent girls suffer more due to early marriage and its consequences of unintended pregnancy, unsafe abortion, high risk for sexually transmitted disease etc. ObjectiveThis study tried to analyse trend and spatial variation of adolescent girls' marriage practice in India. Further, this study is also tried to identify major socio-economic factors responsible for adolescent girl's marriage. MethodsPresent study utilized different rounds of National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data. Trend analysis carried out with the help of 3rd, 4th and 5th round of NFHS data. Bivariate distribution and logistic regression are used for identifying determining factors for adolescent girls’ marriage. ResultsTrend analysis result reveals the declining trend of early adolescent girls' marriage in India. However, the data reveals early girl's marriage practice is still very high. This practice is more in the states of Tripura (31%) followed by West Bengal (28%). Place of residence, wealth status, education status and mass media exposure are the main determining factors in early marriage. ConclusionMost of the states in Eastern and North-Eastern states are having high prevalence of adolescent marriage. Thus, there is an urgent need to focus on these states along with addressing socio-economic disparities. Further, there is a need of effective interventions of girl specific programmes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Balika Samridhi yojana etc. working for empowerment and wellbeing of adolescent girls.

Changing Minds: An RCT of a Growth Mindset Intervention on Depressive Symptoms and Well-being in Adolescent Girls and Boys

Changing Minds: An RCT of a Growth Mindset Intervention on Depressive Symptoms and Well-being in Adolescent Girls and Boys

Spatiotemporal change in socioeconomic inequality in hygienic menstrual product use among adolescent girls in India during 2015–2019

BackgroundThe use of hygienic products, such as sanitary napkins, tampons, and menstrual cups, to absorb menstrual blood is vital for the health and well-being of adolescent girls in India. However, the degree of inequity in the use of such products among this subpopulation remains inadequately explored. To fill this critical knowledge gap, this study aims to investigate the spatiotemporal dynamics of hygienic product use among adolescent girls in India from 2015 to 2020.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we analyzed data from 117,749 to 114,839 adolescent girls aged 15–19, obtained from two consecutive rounds of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) conducted in India during 2015-16 and 2019-21. Our approach involved utilizing Erreygers’ Concentration Index (ECI) and Concentration Curve to quantitatively assess and visually represent socioeconomic inequality in hygienic product usage. Additionally, we investigated the spatiotemporal variation in this inequality over the study period and decomposed the ECI to identify the key contributing factors.ResultsThe findings reveal that hygienic product usage among adolescent girls in India has increased by 13 percentage points (PP), from 37% in 2015-16 to 50% in 2019-21. This increase is also visible across all household wealth quintiles. However, the bottom quintiles experienced a greater rise (+ 15 to 16 PP) than the top quintile (+ 8 PP). During the study period, the ECI reduced marginally, from 0.48 in 2015-16 to 0.43 in 2019-21. However, the extent of this reduction varied across different states. The greatest reduction in ECI was recorded in Punjab (-0.23 points), Telangana (-0.16 points), and West Bengal (-0.14 points). In contrast, there were a number of states with high socioeconomic inequality (ECI > 0.30) in 2015-16, where inequality reduction was minimal (< 0.05 points) over the study period. This included more developed states of Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat and relatively less developed states of Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Assam. Some states, such as Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, recorded an increase in socioeconomic inequality over the study period, with ECI rising to 0.31 and 0.46 (highest in the country) in 2019-21. The decomposition analysis revealed that the inequality in using hygienic products was primarily explained by place of residence, exposure to mass-media, education, and region of residence.ConclusionsThe findings suggest the need for targeted policies to reduce existing socioeconomic inequality in the usage of hygienic products among adolescent girls in India. Specifically, interventions should target regions with low use of hygienic products, economically disadvantaged groups, and poor and vulnerable populations. State-specific policies and programs are also necessary to address the disparities in socioeconomic inequality. Additionally, efforts to reduce inequality should address the underlying factors contributing to inequality.

Role of marriage, motherhood, son preference on adolescent girls' and young women's empowerment: Evidence from a panel study in India.

Marriage is a key determinant of health and well-being of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in India. It is a key life event in which girls move to their marital households, often co-residing with their in-laws and begin childbearing. The change in the normative environment in conjunction with cultural norms surrounding son preference influences women's overall life course. However, there is scant research about the association between these life transitions and changes in empowerment among AGYW in India. Using two waves of data from prospective cohort panel dataset that followed unmarried (6,065 observations in each wave) and married AGYW (3,941 observations from each wave) over a three-year period from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, we examined how marriage, childbearing, and having a son is associated with changes in AGYW's empowerment, especially considering whether AGYW marry into patrilocal households (household with in-laws) as an effect modifier. Empowerment indicators included freedom of movement or mobility, decision-making power, access to economic using Kabeer's framework as our theoretical approach. Marriage was associated with lower freedom of movement with a pronounced effect on those who co-resided with their in-laws. Marriage was associated with greater decision-making power for AGYW who did not co-reside with the in-laws. Motherhood was positively correlated with greater freedom of movement, marginally higher intrahousehold decision-making power, and better access to economic resources. No statistically significant evidence that having at least one son compared to having daughters only (or no daughters) conferred additional changes in girls' freedom of movement, intrahousehold decision-making power, and access to economic resources. Findings highlight the importance of understanding the vulnerabilities of being newly married in adolescence and emphasize the need for having interventions that target newly married AGYW along with mothers-in-law to empower them.

Overcoming coloniality in adolescent health programmes: harnessing cultural values and the indigenous roles of grandmothers to promote girls’ holistic development in Senegal

ABSTRACT Decolonial and feminist scholars have long pointed out that theory and praxis in global health and gender and development employ models of gender and social change that are Euro-North-American-centric and fit poorly with cultural realities and community dynamics in the global South. Interventions informed by these biases are often minimally effective and can cause backlash or resistance. In this paper, we unpack how coloniality informs some of the dominant approaches used by major organisations to improve the health and well-being of adolescent girls, and why they can result in ineffective and sometimes harmful interventions. The limitations of these approaches include top-down imposed objectives and pathways to change; individualist, sexist, ageist, and modernist biases; and ignorance or denigration of local cultural values, resources, and family and community dynamics. Instead, we present the Girls’ Holistic Development (GHD) programme – implemented by NGO The Grandmother Project – Change Through Culture (GMP) in Senegal since 2009 – as a decolonial alternative. The GHD is informed by theories and methodologies from participatory and community development; anthropology; family and community systems theory; community, cultural, and Indigenous psychology; and transformative learning/adult education. Results show that GMP has contributed to shifting social norms underpinning child and forced marriage, female genital cutting, adolescent pregnancy, and premature school-leaving because its approach offers an alternative decolonial vision of, and method of achieving, adolescent girls’ development. The key facets of this approach are that it is culturally affirming, inter-generational, grandmother-inclusive, assets-based, and rooted in building community capacity and consensus for change towards locally defined objectives.

The Effects of Pregnancy: A Systematic Review of Adolescent Pregnancy in Ghana, Liberia, and Nigeria.

There is a high incidence of adolescent pregnancy in West Africa. The objective of this study is to highlight the health impacts of adolescent pregnancy through a systematic review. A search was conducted in the electronic databases of Google, Google Scholar, SCOPUS, EBSCO, CINAHL, Web of Science, African Journals Online (AJOL), and the Demographic Health Surveys (DHS) Program. The study found anemia, complications of pregnancy, obstetric and gynecological risks, unsafe abortions, and psychological effects to adversely impact the health of adolescent girls in Ghana, Liberia, and Nigeria. Pregnancy could be deleterious to the health and well-being of adolescent girls in various forms. In addition, adolescent pregnancy could expose adolescent girls to gender-based violence, exclusions, and inequities, be detrimental to upholding women's sexual and reproductive health rights, and could also have implications for Sustainable Development Goal 3. Targeted interventions to prevent pregnancy in young women and mitigate these effects by stakeholders are encouraged.

Innovations to reduce maternal mortality and improve health and wellbeing of adolescent girls and their babies in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone has one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally (717 deaths per 100 000 livebirths in 2019),1,2 with the greatest burden in adolescent girls. More than a third of women aged 20–24 years in Sierra Leone have given birth before age 18 years (more than 10% of girls before age 16 years). The lifetime risk of maternal death is one in 17, with some evidence suggesting that the risk is higher for pregnant adolescents.3 Additionally, infants born to adolescent mothers are at increased risk of sickness and death.

The effect of a games-based intervention on wellbeing in adolescent girls

Objective:To examine the impact of a self-determination theory-informed school-based lunchtime games intervention on wellbeing and symptoms of anxiety and depression among adolescent girls in Ireland.Design:Non-randomised controlled intervention design.Method:This self-determination theory-informed intervention consisted of lunchtime games for girls aged 13 ± 0.7 years, 3 days a week. After a 2-week ‘sampling’ period, students self-selected to 0, 1, 2 or 3 days of lunchtime games. Intervention and control groups were compared by pre- and post-testing. Participants were included in the intervention design via a survey to ascertain the most popular games and activities at the outset.Results:Participating in games twice a week led to significant decreases ( p &lt; .01) in symptoms of anxiety and depression while the control group showed significant increases ( p &lt; .01) in symptoms of anxiety and depression. Mental wellbeing significantly ( p &lt; .01) increased among those who participated two and three times a week. Increases in mental wellbeing were similar in effect size to increases in self-efficacy.Conclusion:Higher frequencies of physical activity led to increased mental health. Self-efficacy may act as an underlying mechanism for increases in mental health through physical activity.

Understanding the impacts of child marriage on the health and well-being of adolescent girls and young women residing in urban areas in Egypt

BackgroundEgypt has made progress in delaying age at marriage, but child marriage continues to be practiced in many places across the country. This study investigates the impacts of child marriage on the health and wellbeing of girls residing in urban Egypt using a multi-method approach.MethodsThe quantitative component leveraged data from the 2014 Egypt Demographic and Health Survey and focused on (1) reproductive health, (2) maternal health and (3) social outcomes among a subsample of ever-married urban women ages 20–24 (N = 1041). Simple and multivariable logistic regressions were used to estimate prevalence odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for associations between child marriage and the three sets of outcomes. The qualitative component drew from 11 focus groups, 23 in-depth interviews, and 13 key informant interviews conducted in three urban sites in Egypt. The data was thematically analyzed using a combination of inductive and deductive coding.ResultsThe prevalence of marriage under age 18 was 13.22%. Child marriage was significantly associated with ever use of contraception (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 2.95 95% CI 1.67–5.19), multiple births (AOR 12.93 95% CI 5.45–30.72), rapid repeat childbirth (AOR 2.20 95% CI 1.34–3.63), and pregnancy termination (AOR 1.89 95% CI 1.11–3.23). Many of these associations disappeared after adjusting for marriage duration. Girls married under age 18 had larger spousal age gaps (AOR 2.06; 95% CI 1.24–3.41) and higher odds of FGM (AOR 2.14; 95% CI 1.11–4.13). They were significantly more likely to report receiving no ANC care (AOR 0.39; 95% CI 0.19–0.80), and less likely to deliver through C-section (AOR: 0.53; 95% CI 0.34–0.83). Consequences emerging from the qualitative data centered around five themes: (1) Access to and use of sexual and reproductive health services; (2) exposure to FGM; (3) marriage and birth registration; (4) marital relations; and (5) relationship with in-laws.ConclusionFindings provide important insights into the practice of child marriage in urban areas in Egypt and illustrate a range of adverse consequences associated with the practice.

A Community-based Cross-sectional Study on Knowledge and Belief of Menstruation and Practices of Menstrual Hygiene among Adolescence Girls of Vadodara, Gujarat, India

Introduction: Women undergo menstruation as part of their normal physiological cycle. In Indian society, it is associated with taboos, myths, misbelieves and malpractice. Majority of adolescent girls are unprepared in terms of knowledge, attitude and hygienic practices for managing the menstrual cycle when they enter menarche. A better understanding of the scientific process of menstruation and good menstrual hygiene is very crucial for the health and well-being of adolescent girls. Unsafe practices are associated with unwanted outcomes. Aim: To assess the knowledge, beliefs and sources of information adolescents have about menstruation, along with their management of menstrual hygiene. Materials and Methods: The present school-based crosssectional study was conducted in 2019 in Vadodara, Gujarat, India, among 240 adolescent girls of 14-17 years of age using multistage sampling methods. Data were collected by using pre tested, structured self-administered questionnaire after having informed consent. Results: A total of 98 (40.8%) of girls were aware of menstruation before attaining menarche; 19.58% and 54.17% of girls did not knew about the cause and source of the menstrual bleeding, respectively; 55.42% girls used only sanitary pads whereas 43.33% used both old clothes and sanitary pads as the absorbents. A 46.25% changed absorbent frequently (≥4 times in a day). A 54.17% washed their genitals frequently. The most common method of absorbent disposal was disposal in a dustbin. Mother was the main source of information regarding menstruation. Conclusion: Majority of adolescent girls were not having enough knowledge regarding menstruation and their menstrual practices are inexact. This is requisite for menstrual hygiene programme.

Early Sexual Debut and the Effects on Well-Being among South African Adolescent Girls and Young Women Aged 15 to 24 Years

We compared first sex experiences and wellbeing of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) who had an early sexual debut (age < 15) with those who had later sexual debut. We conducted a representative household survey among AGYW aged 15-24 years in six districts in South Africa. Of 3009 AGYW who had ever had sex, 8.9% reported early sexual debut. Early sexual debut was associated with coercion at first sex and a lower average well-being score compared with a later debut. Interventions which aim to delay early sexual debut may positively affect well-being.

Unforeseen Effects of COVID-19 on Adolescent Health.

India is presently in the midst of a major health crisis with the second wave of corona virus spreading at an alarming rate and claiming more lives than ever before. Although the pandemic is affecting the lives of all sections of society, adolescent girls being a vulnerable group are affected in dual manner, not just by the direct effects of the virus but also by many still underrated indirect effects. The present article aims to highlight the indirect yet sinister effects of COVID-19 on physical, mental, social, sexual and reproductive and psychological health and well-being of adolescent girls and other issues like their personal safety, peer support and long-term health issues. Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13224-021-01555-1.

Changes in Physical Activity, Sleep, Mental Health, and Social Media Use During COVID-19 Lockdown Among Adolescent Girls: A Mixed-Methods Study.

To suppress the transmission of coronavirus, many governments, including that of the island of Ireland, implemented a societal lockdown, which included school closures, limits on social gatherings, and time outdoors. This study aimed to evaluate changes in physical activity (PA), mental health, sleep, and social media use among adolescent girls during lockdown. 281 female pupils (12-14y) taking part in the ongoing Walking In Schools study on the island of Ireland self-reported PA, mental health, sleep, and social media use before (September-October 2019) and during lockdown (May-June 2020), via questionnaires. These were supplemented with open-ended structured interviews conducted with 16 girls during lockdown. During the period of lockdown and school closures, pupils tried new forms of PA and undertook PA with family, but there was no significant change in self-reported PA. There was a decline in health-related quality of life and motivation for exercise; however, self-efficacy for walking and happiness with appearance increased. There was no change in sleep quality or social media usage. Despite the many challenges that schools face as they reopen, there is a need to continue to prioritize PA and motivation for exercise to support health and well-being in adolescent girls.

EFFECT OF POLY-CYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME ON SELF-ESTEEM AND BODYIMAGE AMONG ADOLESCENT GIRLS ATTENDING ADOLESCENT CLINIC IN A TERTIARY CARE CENTRE

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have serious health issues, affecting female health, causing body disfigurement, lowers self- esteem decreases the quality of life and, lifelong health consequences related to metabolic disorders. Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate, 'the impact of various clinical features of PCOS namely obesity, hirsutism, acne, menstrual irregularities on psychological well-being in adolescent girls'. Material and methods: A cross-sectional study conducted in the adolescent clinic, BHU. Tools used for data collection were a self-structured questionnaire which includes socio-demographic status, menstrual history, and anthropometric assessment. Hirsutism was assessed by the Ferriman-Gallwey scoring system, acne by the Global acne grading system, self-esteem by Rosenberg self-esteem scale, and body image by Body Image Concern Inventory scale. Statistical analysis was done by SPSS version '22'. Results: Findings of multiple regression analysis suggests that adolescent girls with hirsutism experienced poorer self-esteem (β= -2.621, p=0.01) and greater body dissatisfaction (β= 0.258, p= 0.02) than adolescents girls without hirsutism. Furthermore, obese adolescents had a lower level of self-esteem (β= -0.056, p=0.01) and negative body image (β= 0.748, p=0.01) compared with non- obese PCOS adolescents. Adolescent girls with menstrual irregularities had higher body dissatisfaction (β=0.143, p=0.05) than patients with a regular cycle. Conclusion: PCOS in adolescents having obesity, menstrual irregularities, and features of hyper-androgenism have a profound effect on psychological well being. So, the recognition of the early signs of PCOS during adolescence and early treatment can improve the quality of life.

Health and wellbeing of adolescent girls in a hilly district of Himachal Pradesh: a cross sectional study using low cost interventions

Background: Adolescence is a phase when major physical, psychological, emotional and psychosocial changes take place and it is imperative to meet the unmet needs of this age group especially the girls for optimizing their future contribution during adulthood. The objective of this study was to assess the indicators of the well being and health of school going adolescent girls in District Shimla of Himachal Pradesh and evaluating the effectiveness of a local developed questionnaire for assessment.Methods: A symptomatology based questionnaire was employed for screening the adolescent girls for anaemia, calcium and vitamin D deficiency, worm infestation, menstrual problems, reproductive tract problems and BMI was used for their overall nourishment status. The questionnaire was administered by trained health care workers.Results: The prevalence of anaemia came out to be 21.54% while 12.37% and 7.51% girls had signs of calcium deficiency and worm infestation respectively. 9.38% girls had menstrual problems while 1.9% had sexual health problems. 15.32% girls came out to be malnourished in the survey.Conclusions: Appropriate interventions need to be formulated properly taking into consideration the problem statements and executed well for improvement of health concerns of adolescent girls. If the resources are constrained, low cost interventions can be deployed locally in the communities depending upon the problems encountered to achieve optimum results.

Assessing Whether Meditation Improves Quality of Life for Adolescent Girls With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BackgroundPolycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine condition characterized by irregular periods and hyperandrogenism. Adolescents with PCOS have impaired quality of life (QOL) and increased psychological distress. Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a well-established self-management strategy that has been used to improve stress and well-being. A meta-analysis of TM trials has shown beneficial effects on stress and blood pressure in adults. Recent data are suggesting that another self-management strategy called a mindfulness stress management program has a role in improving QOL in women with PCOS, but there are no studies in adolescents.ObjectiveThis study aims to evaluate the effect of TM on QOL and psychological distress in adolescent girls with PCOS.MethodsThis study is a randomized controlled trial that will be conducted over eight weeks at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide, South Australia, to determine the effect of TM on QOL and psychological distress in adolescent girls (aged 12-20 years) with PCOS. A total of 40 girls will be randomized into either the TM (n=20) or control group (n=20). The TM group will be asked to practice TM in a comfortable sitting position with the eyes closed, for 15 minutes twice daily over eight weeks. The control group will be asked to sit quietly for 15 minutes twice daily for eight weeks. The primary outcomes are any effects on improving QOL and psychological distress, and the secondary outcomes are any effects on lowering blood pressure and salivary cortisol levels.ResultsThe recruitment of study participants began in May 2019 and is expected to be completed by June 2020. It is expected that the adolescent girls with PCOS practicing TM over eight weeks will have a significant improvement in QOL and psychological distress compared to adolescents in the control group. Also, it is expected that adolescent girls in the TM group will have lower salivary cortisol levels and lower blood pressure.ConclusionsThis study will be the first to evaluate the effect of TM on QOL in adolescent girls with PCOS. The study will provide valuable information on a potential self-management strategy to improve QOL and well-being in adolescent girls with PCOS.Trial RegistrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN1261900019010; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=376657&amp;isReview=trueInternational Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)PRR1-10.2196/14542

Hubungan antara Body Image dan Subjective Well-Being Pada Remaja Putri

The assessment of body shape or often called the body image is very common among female adolescents. Previous studies showed the body image greatly affected the psychological well-being of adolescents. Young women who considered themselves people with worse body tended to undergo depression. This perception is likely to inhibit their subjective well-beings. In reality, the body image did not affect subjective well-being of the individual. This research aims to investigate the relations between body image and subjective well-being in adolescent girls. This research is a correlational quantitative study. The subjects consisted of 175 Faculty of Fashion and Design Business of "X" University in Surabaya, aged 18-24 years. The data collection technique was Total Population Study. Having used SPSS, this study found the statistical calculation where ρ = 0.432 and p-value = 0.000 in the body image and subjective well-being satisfaction dimensions. Meanwhile, the body image and subjective well-being subjective dimensions were r = 0.474 and p-value = 0.000.

Adolescent girls\u2019 health, nutrition and wellbeing in rural eastern India: a descriptive, cross-sectional community-based study

BackgroundIndia is home to 243 million adolescents. Two million (9%) of them belong to Scheduled Tribes living in underserved, rural areas. Few studies have examined the health of tribal adolescents. We conducted a cross-sectional survey to assess the health, nutrition and wellbeing of adolescent girls in rural Jharkhand, eastern India, a state where 26% of the population is from Scheduled Tribes. We aimed to identify priorities for community interventions to serve adolescents and their families.MethodsBetween June 2016 and January 2017, interviewers visited all households in 50 purposively sampled villages of West Singhbhum district, Jharkhand. They aimed to interview all girls aged 10–19. Interviewers conducted face-to-face interviews with girls to administer a survey about physical and mental health, disability, nutrition, sexual and reproductive health, gender norms, decision-making, education and violence. Interviewers also measured girls’ height, weight, and Mid-Upper Arm Circumference.ResultsInterviewers collected data from 3324 (82%) of an estimated 4068 girls residing in the study area. Their mean age was 14.3 (SD 2.9). 82% were from Scheduled Tribes. 89% of younger girls aged 10–14 and 46% of older girls aged 15–19 were in school or college. Girls dropped out of school because they were required for household work (37%) or work on the family farm or business (22%). Over a third reported symptoms of anaemia in the past month, but less than a fifth had a blood test. The prevalence of thinness (<−2SD median BMI for age and sex) was 14% for younger girls and 6% for older girls. 45% of girls were stunted (<−2SD median height for age and sex). 40% reported emotional violence in the past year, 14% physical violence, and 0.7% sexual violence. 12% had problems associated with depression or anxiety. 30% aged 15–19 had heard of contraception. Among married girls and their husbands, only 10% had ever used methods to prevent or delay pregnancy.ConclusionsOur study identified several priorities to improve adolescent girls’ health, nutrition and wellbeing in largely tribal areas of Jharkhand: reducing violence, early marriage and undernutrition, as well as improving mental health, knowledge about contraception and school retention.

Using Group Interpersonal Psychotherapy to Improve the Well-Being of Adolescent Girls

Using Group Interpersonal Psychotherapy to Improve the Well-Being of Adolescent Girls