La santé physique, mentale et les comportements de santé des adolescents immigrants de première génération

Behavioral risk factors and mental health: single and cluster associations in Spanish adolescents

OBJECTIVE

The risk factors associated with mental health in adolescents are not well known in the general population of Mediterranean countries. Therefore, this study aimed to identify individual and clustered behavioral risk factors for psychological distress.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study conducted between 2008 and 2009 among 4054 students representative of those in the fourth year of secondary education in the region of Madrid (Spain). Mental health was assessed using the General Health Questionnaire, with psychological distress defined as a score ≥3. The analyses were performed with logistic regression and adjusted for the main confounders.

RESULTS

Psychological distress was more frequent in those who did insufficient physical activity (odds ratio [OR], 1.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-1.47), smokers (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.07-1.59), and users of illegal drugs (OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.21-1.76). Psychological distress also showed a positive dose-response relationship with the number of risk behaviors for eating disorders (p for linear trend <0.001). Moreover, it was associated with both thin (OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.16-1.62) or very thin body image (OR, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.39-3.32) and perceived overweight (OR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.40-2.15) or obesity (OR, 3.12; 95% CI, 2.23-4.37). Compared with individuals without classic risk behaviors (low physical activity, low consumption of fruits/vegetables, smoking, high-risk alcohol consumption), frequency of psychological distress was higher in those with 2 risk behaviors (OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.19-1.82) and was even greater in those with 3 or 4 risk behaviors (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.21-2.01).

CONCLUSIONS

During adolescence, psychological distress is associated with lifestyles, body image, and eating behaviors. Clustering of classic risk behaviors increases the likelihood of poor mental health.

Self-reported mental health in 12-year-old second-generation immigrant children in Sweden

BACKGROUND

Today 29.3% of all newborns in Sweden are second-generation immigrants. Studies on mental health among these children are few, inconclusive and vary widely with regard to the informant used and the age of the immigrant. The majority of previous studies focus on study groups that cover a wide age span but since mental health varies considerably during the preadolescent and adolescent years, more age-specific studies are needed. Additional focus on the health and well-being of these children is necessary if a well-functioning society is to develop.

AIM

To investigate whether and how second-generation immigrant children in Sweden differ from non-immigrant children in their presentation of self-reported mental health at the age of 12.

METHODS

Second-generation immigrant children (n = 142) from a birth cohort in southern Sweden, subjects of the SESBiC-study (the South East Sweden Birth Cohort-study) were compared with non-immigrant children (n = 1036) from the same cohort in their presentation of self-reported mental health at the age of 12 using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Gender, family structure and parents' educational level were controlled for.

RESULTS

Second-generation immigrant children did not differ from the non-immigrant children in their own presentation of mental health at the age of 12 in any of the categories of immigrant groups.

CONCLUSION

It is a promising sign for future integration that second-generation immigrant children's self-reported mental health at the age of 12 was quite similar to that of non-immigrant children.