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Adolescent Health in the Hunter Region: a Survey of Student Perceptions and Concerns

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Adolescent Health in the Hunter Region: a Survey of Student Perceptions and Concerns University of Wollongong Research Online University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016 University of Wollongong Thesis Collections 1993 Adolescent health in the Hunter Region: a survey of student perceptions and concerns Margo Nancarrow University of Wollongong Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.uow.edu.au/theses University of Wollongong Copyright Warning You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorise you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. You are reminded of the following: This work is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part of this work may be reproduced by any process, nor may any other exclusive right be exercised, without the permission of the author. Copyright owners are entitled to take legal action against persons who infringe their copyright. A reproduction of material that is protected by copyright may be a copyright infringement. A court may impose penalties and award damages in relation to offences and infringements relating to copyright material. Higher penalties may apply, and higher damages may be awarded, for offences and infringements involving the conversion of material into digital or electronic form. Unless otherwise indicated, the views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the University of Wollongong. Recommended Citation Nancarrow, Margo, Adolescent health in the Hunter Region: a survey of student perceptions and concerns, Master of Nursing (Hons.) thesis, Department of Nursing, University of Wollongong, 1993. https://ro.uow.edu.au/theses/2600 Research Online is the open access institutional repository for the University of Wollongong. For further information contact the UOW Library: [email protected] ADOLESCENT HEALTH IN THE HUNTER REGION. A SURVEY OF STUDENT PERCEPTIONS AND CONCERNS. A research report submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of MASTER OF NURSING (HONS) from UNIVERSIT Y CF WOLLONGONG LIBRARY THE UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG. BY MARGO NANCARROW R.N. B.Ed. Department of Nursing 1993 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to acknowledge my debt to Dr. Jan Pincombe and Kerry Duggan for their generous encouragement and sound advice throughout the lifetime of this work. Many friends and colleagues have sustained, nurtured and supported me when I needed it most and I remember them warmly and individually with much appreciation and thank especially Jill, Debbie and Trudy. The assistance given to me by Ken from the Statistics Department at the University of Wollongong was very welcom e. Families often take a lower profile when further studies are undertaken and mine was no exception. Their faith in me is appreciated and I sincerely thank my husband John, who always thought this research would be completed even when I did not and my children, Mark, Colette, James, Felicity, Andrew and Damian who have convinced me that adolescents are all right after all! I LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1. Causes of death in relation to age and sex, 15-24 years, 1982 . 48 Table 3.2. Deaths by road accidents, age and sex, per 100,000 population . 48 Table 3.3 Hospital separations/discharges Hunter Region 1989 to 1991 12 years to 20 years for Injuries and P o iso n in g ................................ 49 Table 3.4 Birth rates in N S W .(< 19yrs) 1988-1989 ........................................... 55 Table 3.5 Teenage births in the Hunter Area 1988 and 1989 ........................... 55 Table 4.1 Adolescents attending school in the H u n ter........................................... 77 Table 4.2 Profile of respondents and schools attended ....................................... 81 Table 4.3 Identification of questionnaire item s ....................................................... 85 Table 5.1 Respondents by school, age and g e n d e r ................................................. 95 Table 5.2 Responses to the question "With whom do you liv e ? " ..................... 97 Table 5.3 Students’ chosen definition of health by gender .....................................102 Table 5.4 Students responses re decreased activity.................... 103 Table 5.5 Problem categories causing decreased activity ........................................104 Table 5.6 Responses to nutrition statement ................................................................. 105 Table 5.7 Comparison of health s ta tu s ...........................................................................106 Table 5.8 Frequency of concern about health status ................................................. 107 Table 5.9 Frequency of requirements for help or advice ........................................108 Table 5.10 The need for more information about general h e a lt h ............................109 Table 5.11 The need for information about specific health problems .................. 110 Table 5.12 Where help/advice was o b ta in e d ................................................................. I l l Table 5.13 Use of a specific health clinic ....................................................................... 112 Table 5.14 Preferred site for a health facility ..............................................................113 Table 5.15 Identification of problems by category........................................................116 Table 5.16 Reasons for medical advice (Specific categories) ..................................119 Table 5.17 Description of health problem scores ........................................................122 Table 5.18 Items of statistical significance from each c a te g o ry ...............................123 Table 5.19 Ten highest scoring responses by gender ................................................. 124 Table 5.20 Summary of data analysis re body image - total s a m p le ..................... 125 Table 5.21 Summary of data analysis re lifestyle - total sample ............................128 Table 5.22 Summary of data analysis re sexuality - total sa m p le ............................133 Table 5.23 Summary of data analysis re mental health - total sam ple ..............135 Table 5.24 Summary of data analysis re specific diseases ........................................139 Table 5.25 Summary of data analysis re social issues - total sample..................... 141 Table 5.26 Scoring method for prioritisation of problems by category .... 445 Table 5.27 Summary of data analysis for prioritisation of problems..................... 147 Table 5.28 Comparison of father’s occu p ation ..............................................................150 Table 5.29 Comparisons between definitions of health .............................................. 151 Table 5.30 Comparison of preferred sites for health facility ..................................153 II LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1 The Health Belief M o d e l............................................................................. 12 Figure 2.2 Health Promotion Model from Pender, 1986 ....................................... 14 Figure 2.3 Crisis Theory Model ................................................................................... 16 Figure 2.4 Growth Potential: Crisis as a C h allen ge................................................. 17 Figure 2.5 Growth Potential: Adolescence as a C h allen ge.................................... 18 Figure 2.6 Theoretical Framework for Study .......................................................... 19 Figure 3.1 The Cube Model of Health from Eberst................................................ 30 Figure 3.2 Domains of health from Perry, (1 9 8 4 ).................................................... 33 Figure 4.1 Stages of instrument development .......................................................... 75 Figure 5.1 Respondents’ ages and school attended ................................................. 96 Figure 5.2 Religion in Students’ Household ............................................................. 98 Figure 5.3 Profile of father’s o ccu p a tio n .......................................................................100 Figure 5.4 Responses to the question "Where do you think a health facility should be situated ?"......................................................................... 115 Figure 5.5 Responses to the question, "What problems did you require help for during the last year?" ...................................................................117 Figure 5.6 Responses to the statement "I am concerned about............." it e m s .....................................................................................................................121 Figure 5.7 Responses to concerns about body im a g e ................................................126 Figure 5.8 Responses to concerns about lifestyle ...................................................... 129 Figure 5.9 Responses to concerns about sexuality is su e s ..........................................132 Figure 5.10 Responses to concerns about mental health statements.......................137 Figure 5.11 Responses to concerns about specific diseases ...................................... 140 Figure 5.12 Responses to concerns about social issues .............................................143 Figure 5.13 Most important health concerns ................................................................ 146 Figure 6.1 Map of NSW showing
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