Adolescent use of social media and associations with sleep patterns across 18 European and North American countries

Objective Over the past decade, concurrent with increasing social media use (SMU), there has been a shift toward poorer sleep among adolescents in many countries. The purpose of this study was to examine the cross-national associations between adolescent SMU and sleep patterns, by comparing 4 different categories of SMU (nonactive, active, intense, and problematic use). Design, setting, and participants Data were from 86,542 adolescents in 18 European and North American countries that participated in the 2017/18 Health Behaviour in School-aged study. Measurements Mixed-effects linear regression models were used to examine cross-national associations between 4 SMU categories and adolescent s…

Does health literacy explain the link between structural stratifiers and adolescent health?

Abstract Background The concept of health literacy (HL) may help us to better understand the mechanisms leading to health disparities, and to focus on the factors that can be influenced. However, not much is yet known about how HL is related to health disparities, or whether the association exists among adolescents. The aim of the study was to examine the associations between structural stratifiers, HL and health indicators among adolescents. Methods The nationally representative Finnish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey data (n=3833) were collected from 13- and 15-year-old pupils in the spring of 2014. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated, and separate path models…

Lasten ja nuorten liikunta : Suomen tilannekatsaus 2014 ja kansainvälinen vertailu

Results From Finland's 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth.

Background:Finland’s 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth gathers and translates research results and assesses the status and promotion of physical activity (PA) among Finnish children and youth less than 18 years of age. This article summarizes the results and provides grades for 9 indicators.Methods:The working group evaluated the evidence and assigned grades of A (highest, 81% to 100%), B, C, D, or F (lowest, 0% to 20%) for 9 PA indicators using the Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card development process.Results:The grades varied in Finland as follows: 1) Overall PA/fulfillment of recommendations = D, 2) Organized Sport Participation = C, 3) Active Play = C, 4)…

Hälsotrender bland elever i svensk- och finskspråkiga grundskolor 1994-2014 : WHO:s skolelevsstudie (HBSC-Study)

WHO:s skolelevsstudie (Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) Study) är internationellt en av de mest omfattande, långvariga och betydelsefulla undersökningarna om levnadsvanor bland skolungdomar. Undersökningen startade för drygt 30 år sedan och i detta nu deltar över 40 länder i Europa och Nordamerika. Nästa internationella datainsamling, som är den tionde i ordningen, genomförs år 2018. Nytt forskningsmaterial insamlas vart fjärde år. Forskare vid Jyväskylä universitets Forskningscenter för hälsofrämjande (Terveyden edistämisen tutkimuskeskus) ansvarar för WHO:s skolelevsstudie i Finland. För ungefär 20 år sedan började det givande samarbetet mellan Jyväskylä universitet och Samf…

Organized Sport Participation and Physical Activity Levels among Adolescents with Functional Limitations

Sufficient and regular physical activity is considered a protective factor, reducing the onset of secondary disability conditions in adolescents with chronic diseases and functional limitations. The aim of this study was to explore whether participation in organized sport may be associated to higher levels of physical activity in adolescents with functional limitations, based on a national representative sample. Data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study collected in Finland from two data collection rounds (2002 and 2010) were conducted and pooled from adolescents aged between 13 and 15 years old with functional limitations (n = 1041). Differences in self-reported p…

Use of xylitol chewing gum among Finnish schoolchildren

The preventive, and partly the remineralizing, effect of xylitol was shown in Finland in the Turku Sugar Studies in 1971-73. Since then, several clinical trials in many countries have confirmed these results. In Finland, oral health personnel have recommended daily use of xylitol chewing gum in their dental health education. Moreover, commercial companies have advertised xylitol, emphasizing in particular its caries preventive effects. All Nordic dental associations have given their recommendations for xylitol use. The aim of this study was to describe how this health habit has been adopted by Finnish schoolchildren. The study was part of the comprehensive cross-national survey on Health Be…

Health asset profiles and health indicators among 13- and 15-year-old adolescents

Objectives We examined the associations between adolescents’ health assets and various health indicators (smoking, alcohol use, sleep length, physical activity, healthy eating, oral health, self-reported health, multiple health complaints). Methods A nationally representative sample was drawn from Finnish-speaking schools, comprising 13- and 15-year-old adolescents (n = 3833). The measures taken covered the adolescents’ health assets, which were labelled Family-financial, Psychological, Family-social, Friends-social, School-social, and Human. Our analysis applied two-step cluster analysis and multilevel mixed-effects binary logistic regression. Results Six asset profiles were identified: ‘L…

Self-esteem and intentions mediate perceived fitness with physical activity in Finnish adolescents with long-term illness or disabilities

Background: The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is recognised as the common language in disability research. However, personal factors in the ICF are not explicitly coded because of cultural differences that influence physical activity (PA) participation. The ICF suggests using fitness as a personal factor, as well as other psychological assets. Intentions may serve as such psychological assets and studies on the antecedents to intentions which prompts PA behaviours is lacking in adolescent long term illness or disability (LTID) populations. Objective: The purpose of this study was to report how ICF personal factors can influence participation in PA.…

Physical Activity Among Adolescents With Long-Term Illnesses or Disabilities in 15 European Countries.

Physical activity (PA) is an important health-promoting behavior from which adolescents with long-term illnesses or disabilities (LTID) can benefit. It is important to monitor differences across countries in adherence with PA recommendations for health. The aim of this study was to compare PA levels among 15 European countries after disaggregating data by disability. Data from pupils (mean age = 13.6 years, SD = 1.64) participating in the 2013/2014 Health Behavior in School-aged Children study were analyzed to compare adolescents without LTID, with LTID, and with LTID that affects their participation (affected LTID). Logistic regression models adjusted for age and family affluence, stratifi…

Trends in sleeping difficulty among adolescents in five Nordic countries 2002–2014

Sleep has been found to be an important factor in adolescents’ mental and physical health. The aim of the present study was to examine trends in sleep difficulty (i.e., difficulty falling asleep more often than once a week) in the Nordic countries among 11- to 15-year-olds. We analysed Nordic data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study (HBSC), which is conducted every four years, looking specifically at trends in sleep difficulty over a 12-year period from 2002 to 2014. The participants were aged 11 to 15 years. The total number of participants across these years was 113,447. A large percentage (17% to 31% in 2014) of adolescents in the Nordic countries experience sleep dif…

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PATTERNS OF ADOLESCENTS WITH LONG TERM ILLNESSES OR DISABILITIES IN FINNISH GENERAL EDUCATION

Physical activity (PA) of adolescents with long term illnesses or disabilities (LTID) in general education is examined to provide evidence of PA levels from specific population groups. This study describes the PA levels of adolescents with LTID based on recommendations of daily 60mins of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and vigorous leisure time PA (VPA) of at least two times a week for at least one hour per week. Finnish data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study was pooled from 2002 and 2010 surveys. 1126 respondents (14.6%) self-reported as having a LTID and details of main categories of LTID were used to examine PA behaviours. Overall, 15.6% of adolescents with LT…

Loneliness and subjective health complaints among school-aged children

Aim: The first aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of loneliness and subjective health complaints (SHCs) among school-aged children in Finland. The second aim was to analyse to what extent perceived loneliness explains any variance in SHCs among school-aged children. Method: A representative sample of 5925 Finnish children and adolescents from grades 5 ( Mage=11.8 years), 7 ( Mage=13.8) and 9 ( Mage=15.8) completed the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the prevalence of health complaints and loneliness. Structural equation modelling was used to test how strongly loneliness was associated with SHCs. Results: The p…

Drinking motives and links to alcohol use in 13 European countries.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to test the structure and endorsement of drinking motives and their links to alcohol use among 11- to 19-year-olds from 13 European countries. Method: Confi rmatory factor analysis, latent growth curves, and multiple regres- sion models were conducted, based on a sample of 33,813 alcohol-using students from Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Scotland, Slovakia, Switzerland, and Wales who completed the Drinking Motives Questionnaire Revised Short Form (DMQ-R SF). Results: The fi ndings confi rmed the hypothesized four- dimensional factor structure. Social motives for drinking were most frequently indicated, …

Minority status and perceived health: a comparative study of Finnish- and Swedish-speaking schoolchildren in Finland

Results of earlier studies suggest that the health of the Swedish-speaking minority in Finland is better than that of the sociodemographically similar Finnish-speaking population. The causes of differences are unknown. The main aim of the study referred was to investigate whether differences in perceived health according to linguistic group were present in a nation-wide representative sample (n=5,230) of schoolchildren aged 11, 13 and 15 years. A further aim was to determine whether differences could be attributed to socioeconomic background, social relationships or health behaviour. The study is part of the international Health Behaviour in School-aged children (HBSC) survey. The perceive…

Does health literacy explain regional health disparities among adolescents in Finland?

Summary Health literacy (HL)—as a broad range of health-related competencies—has been proposed to be a promising construct in understanding health disparities better, also among adolescents. Several factors have been found to explain differences in adolescents’ HL levels; however, not much is known about how different regions of a country or majority/minority status is associated with HL, or whether HL is associated with regional health disparities. The aim of this study was to examine and compare HL and health levels among majority- and minority-language-speaking adolescents living in different regions of Finland, and to explore if HL explains regional health disparities, taking into accou…

Socioeconomic differences in the use of alcohol and drunkenness in adolescents: Trends in the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study in Finland 1990-2014.

Aims: The aims of this study were to explore time-based trends of socioeconomic differences in alcohol use and drunkenness in Finnish adolescents from 1990 to 2014 and to investigate the significance of two indicators in detecting socioeconomic differences in alcohol use and drunkenness. Methods: Data were retrieved from seven surveys conducted as part of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study in Finland from 1990 to 2014. The alcohol use and drunkenness of 15-year-old students, as well as socioeconomic status, including educational aspiration and perceived family wealth, were assessed via a self-report questionnaire. Logistic regression models were used to investigate t…

Lukiolaisten masentuneisuus ja vanhempien työllisyystilanne –Uudenmaan ja Pohjanmaan maakuntien suomen- ja ruotsinkielisten lukioiden opiskelijoiden vertailua

Suomessa väestöryhmien väliset hyvinvointierot ovat suuria. Tutkimuksissa on raportoitu esimerkiksi alueellisia, sosioekonomisten ryhmien välisiä ja suomen- ja ruotsinkielisen kieliryhmän välisiä hyvinvointieroja. Nämä erot näkyvät myös lasten ja nuorten terveydessä ja hyvinvoinnissa. Tässä tutkimuksessa analysoitiin, vaihteleeko Uudenmaan ja Pohjanmaan lukiolaisten masentuneisuuden yleisyys lukion opetuskielen, sukupuolen, maakunnan ja vanhempien työllisyystilanteen suhteen. Aineistona olivat vuosina 2010 ja 2011 Kouluterveyskyselyihin (Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos) vastanneet Uudenmaan ja Pohjanmaan alueilla sijaitsevien lukioiden oppilaat (n=3974). Masentuneisuutta mitattiin Kouluter…

Hiipuva liikunta nuoruusiässä : drop off -ilmiön aikatrendejä ja kansainvälistä vertailua WHO-Koululaistutkimuksen (HBSC-Study) aineistoilla 1986-2010

Does Sleep Mediate the Association between School Pressure, Physical Activity, Screen Time, and Psychological Symptoms in Early Adolescents? A 12-Country Study.

This study examines the mediating role of sleep duration and sleep onset difficulties in the association of school pressure, physical activity, and screen time with psychological symptoms in early adolescents. Data were retrieved from 49,403 children (13.7 &plusmn

Physical Activity Trends of Finnish Adolescents With Long-Term Illnesses or Disabilities From 2002–2014

Background:Adolescents’ physical activity level is a major source of concern. For adolescents with long-term illnesses or disabilities (LTID), being physically active can prevent secondary conditions. This is one of the first studies reporting trends in physical activity of adolescents with LTID in relation to gender, age, and sports club membership.Methods:Data were collected from the Health Behavior in School-aged Children study in Finland during 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014. In 13- and 15-year-olds (N = 2206), 17.1% reported having LTID. Daily physical activity recall was the dependent variable. Binary logistic regression analysis was conducted eparately for sports club members (n = 936) a…

The Associations between Physical Activity and Body-Esteem in 15-Year-Old Adolescents : A Cross-Sectional Study from Finland

Purpose: Physical activity promotes a positive physical self-image, but less is known about whether the positive effect covers the general self-evaluation of adolescent appearance. This study aimed to further explore the associations between physical activity and body-esteem in Finnish adolescents, via a country-representative cross-sectional study design. Methods: The data for the study were drawn from the Finnish component of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study (2014), using surveys from 15-year-old adolescents (n=1956, mean age 15.8 years) from 122 schools. Self-evaluations of body or appearance were measured by the Body-Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults (BESA…

Overweight Adolescents’ Self-Perceived Weight and Weight Control Behaviour: HBSC Study in Finland 1994–2010

Introduction. Overweight and perception of being overweight, may lead adolescent to lose weight. The aim of the present study was to investigate overweight adolescents’ self-perceived weight, body dissatisfaction, and weight control behaviour during 1994–2010 in Finland.Methods. The country-representative, cross-sectional data of 15-year olds were obtained from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study, conducted in 1994 (; males: 48%), 1998 (; 49%), 2002 (; 50%), 2006 (; 47%), and 2010 (; 48%).Results. The majority of overweight boys (62–69%) and girls (89–100%) assessed themselves as too fat, and their body image was lower than in nonoverweight adolescents. The highest pre…

Empowerment-enabling home and school environments and self-rated health among Finnish adolescents

Perceived health during adolescence has not only immediate consequences for individuals and for society, but also long-term. We need to understand better the health development in this period of the lifespan. Empowerment may be one pathway through which social factors and conditions translate into health effects. This study aimed to examine whether empowerment-enabling home and school environments are associated with self-rated health among adolescents, and whether the associations differ between genders, age or majority/minority language groups. Anonymous questionnaire data from respondents aged 11, 13 and 15 years were obtained from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study, cond…

Loneliness, subjective health complaints, and medicine use among Finnish adolescents 2006-2018.

Aims: Loneliness is an important public health challenge for all ages. This study reports time trends of loneliness among adolescents over a 12-year period and analyses the strength of the associations between loneliness, health complaints, and medicine use. Methods: Data were derived from the cross-sectional Finnish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study conducted in 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018. The study population is based on a random sample of schools with 20,444 participants aged 11–15 years. The trends were analysed with a Mantel–Haenszel test, and the strength of the associations was evaluated by mixed-effects logistic and linear regressions. Results: An increasing prevalence …

Frequent use of sugar products by schoolchildren in 20 European countries, Israel and Canada in 1993/1994

The aim of this study was to describe the daily use of certain between-meal sugar products (soft drinks and sweets) of schoolchildren in 20 European countries, Israel and Canada as a part of the Cross-National Survey on Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children--a WHO Collaborative Study. The data were collected using standardised anonymous questionnaires in school classrooms during the 1993/1994 school year. In each country nationally or regionally representative samples of about 1,300 schoolchildren (450 in Greenland) were targeted. Use of sugar products was analysed according to sex, age, country, self-reported school performance and self-reported family economy. One third to one half of …

Leisure‐time physical activity and participation in organized sports: Changes from 1985 to 2014 in Finland and Norway

Participation in organized sports is a popular and important part of the lives of children and adolescents and is associated with improved psychological and social health, as well as an increased likelihood of meeting physical activity (PA) recommendations. Changes in modern society, including increased car ownership and use of technology and electronic media, have led to an additional focus on the importance of health‐enhancing PA among children and adolescents. The aim of this article was to study the secular changes in self‐reports of participation in organized sports clubs and leisure‐time vigorous physical activity (LVPA), and whether the relationship between participation in organized…

Daily physical activity in Finnish adolescents with long-term illnesses or disabilities: psychosocial associations with participation in sports club

Background: Physical activity (PA) in adolescence with long term illnesses or disabilities (LTID) is a public health concern. One way of increasing PA is through participation in sports clubs. Since sports clubs are organised and regular, there are expected to be differences in motivation for physical activity between adolescents that are members and non-members. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of psychosocial factors on sports club membership and daily PA. Methods: Finnish adolescents with self-reported LTID (n=1006) took part in the WHO collaborative Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study in 2002 and 2010. Daily self-reported moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA)…

The role of health literacy in explaining regional health differences among adolescents

Abstract Background Health disparities in adolescence track forward to adulthood. In understanding disparities better, health literacy (HL) - as a broad range of health-related competencies - has been identified as a valuable construct. Higher HL has been associated with better health outcomes, also among adolescents. Not much is known about how language or region in a bilingual country is associated with HL, or how HL is associated with regional health disparities. The aim of this study, in a bilingual country, was a) to examine and compare HL and health levels among majority and minority language speaking adolescents in different regions of Finland, and b) to explore if HL explains possib…

Study Health with HBSC : kaikille avoin sovellus terveystiedon opetuksen tueksi

Ota käyttöön uusi maksuton sovellus: Study Health with HBSC! Hyödynnä sitä terveystiedon opetuksessa tai vaikkapa matematiikan, englannin ja ruotsin opiskelussa. Sovellus tuo käyttöösi WHO-Kouulaistutkimuksen datan vuosilta 2002-2018. nonPeerReviewed

How young Europeans sleep.

This study investigated sleeping habits, difficulties in being able to fall asleep and their connections to self-reported health conditions, as well as other selected health behaviours and use of leisure time, among 11-16 year old Europeans from 11 countries. The study was part of a larger, comparative, WHO coordinated project on the health and life-style of school children (Health Behaviour of School Age Children--A WHO Cross-National Survey, The HBSC Study). In most of the countries, research data were collected from samples representative of the whole country. Using a standardized survey questionnaire, the data were collected anonymously in schools. Altogether 40,202 students responded t…

Health literacy and participation in sports club activities among adolescents

Aims: The aim of this research was to compare the levels of perceived health literacy among adolescents who do or do not participate in sports club activities. Organized sport club activities reach a high proportion of adolescents, and have the potential to contribute to the development of their health literacy. Methods: The cross-sectional data on health literacy among school children in Finland (aged 13 and 15, n=3852) were measured, as a part of the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study, using the Health Literacy for School-aged Children (HLSAC) instrument. Sports club participation and its association with health literacy were examined in relation to age, gender, family…

Test-retest reliability of adolescents' self-reported physical activity item in two consecutive surveys.

Background National monitoring of school-aged physical activity (PA) behaviours is necessary to inform policy makers. The Finnish School-aged Physical Activity (FSPA – LIITU in Finnish) is a physical activity monitoring study, collecting data from young adolescents aged 11 to 15 years through a nationally representative sample. This study included a single self-reported item question on moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) from the preceding seven days. The question is used widely in the WHO Collaborative Cross-National Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study as a measure of meeting international PA recommendations. This study evaluated the test-retest relia…

Lasten ja nuorten liikuntakäyttäytyminen Suomessa : LIITU-tutkimuksen tuloksia 2018

Results from Finland’s 2014 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth

The Finnish 2014 Report Card on Physical Activity (PA) for Children and Youth is the first assessment of Finland’s efforts in promoting and facilitating PA opportunities for children and youth using the Active Healthy Kids Canada grading system. The Report Card relies primarily on research findings from 6 Research Institutes, coordinated by the University of Jyväskylä. The Research Work Group convened to evaluate the aggregated evidence and assign grades for each of the 9 PA indicators, following the Canadian Report Card protocol. Grades from A (highest) to F (lowest) varied in Finland as follows: 1) Overall physical activity—fulfillment of recommendations (D), 2) Organized sport participat…

Perceived sleep quality and its precursors in adolescents

This study investigated perceived sleep quality among 11-, 13and 15-year-old Finnish adolescents (n = 4187). Additionally, associations of selected behavioural, social and psychological factors with subjective sleep quality were examined among 15-year-olds. This study is part of an international, WHO-co-ordinated survey of school children’s health and lifestyle (the HBSC Study). In Finland, research data represented the whole country. The data were collected during March–May 1994. Pupils responded anonymously to a standardized questionnaire during a class period. About every 10th adolescent felt that their sleep quality was at most satisfactory, about 30% of pupils had had difficulties in f…

Nuorten liikuntakäyttäytyminen Suomessa : LIITU-tutkimuksen tuloksia 2020

How Are Adolescents Sleeping? Adolescent Sleep Patterns and Sociodemographic Differences in 24 European and North American Countries

© 2020 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Changes from 1986 to 2006 in reasons for liking leisure-time physical activity among adolescents

Reasons for participating in physical activity (PA) may have changed in accordance with the general modernization of society. The aim is to examine changes in self-reported reasons for liking leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and their association with self-reported LTPA over a 20-year period. Data were collected among nationally representative samples of 13-year-olds in Finland, Norway, and Wales in 1986 and 2006 (N = 9252) as part of the WHO cross-national Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. Univariate ANOVAs to establish differences according to gender, year, and country were conducted. In all countries, 13-year-olds in 2006 tended to report higher importance in te…

Do adolescents with long-term illnesses and disabilities have increased risks of sports related injuries?

peer-reviewed Background: The aim of this study is to examine the rates of sports related injuries in adolescents based on the severity of their long-term illnesses or disabilities (LTID). Few injury prevention strategies in sports and health promotion have explored disaggregation by disability. Methods: Data obtained from the 2014 Finnish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey (n = 3716, mean age = 14.8, SD = 1.03) were grouped into adolescents with and without LTID. A further indicator or severity was determined when adolescents reported their LTID affected their participation (affected LTID). Odds ratio (95% CI) were used to determine the associations between sports related inju…

Daily physical activity in Finnish adolescents with long term illnesses or disabilities: psychosocial associations with participation in sports club


 Background:
 Physical activity (PA) in adolescence with long term illnesses or disabilities (LTID) is a public health concern. One way of increasing PA is through participation in sports clubs. Since sports clubs are organised and regular, there are expected to be differences in motivation for physical activity between adolescents that are members and non-members. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of psychosocial factors on sports club membership and daily PA.
 Methods:
 Finnish adolescents with self-reported LTID (n=1006) took part in the WHO collaborative Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study in 2002 and 2010. Daily self-reported moder…

Socioeconomic differences in adolescents’ smoking: a comparison between Finland and Beijing, China

Background: Various studies have demonstrated the associations between socioeconomic status (SES) and health and health behaviour among adolescents. However, few studies have compared the socioeconomic difference in adolescent smoking between countries with different stage of smoking. The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and adolescent smoking in Beijing, China and Finland through the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. Methods: The data used in this study were derived from the Chinese HBSC linked project survey 2008 in Beijing and the Finnish HBSC survey 2006. The final sample included 2005 Chinese and 1…

Self-reported recurrent pain and medicine use behaviours among 15-year olds: Results from the international study

Background There is considerable variation in adolescent pain prevalence across epidemiological studies, with limited information on pain-related behaviours among adolescents, including medicine use. The aims of this study were (1) to examine the prevalence of recurrent pain among 15-year-old adolescents internationally; (2) to investigate the association between recurrent pain and medicine use behaviours among boys and girls; and (3) to evaluate the consistency of these associations across countries. Methods The World Health Organization (WHO) collaborative international Health Behaviour in School-aged Children 2009/2010 study collects data about self-reported aches and medicine use from 3…

Trends in self-reported sleep problems, tiredness and related school performance among Finnish adolescents from 1984 to 2011

The aim of this study was to investigate long-term trends in insomnia symptoms, tiredness and school performance among Finnish adolescents. A time-series from 1984 to 2011 was analysed from two large-scale survey studies, the Finnish School Health Promotion Study and the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children study. A total of 1,136,583 adolescents aged 11-18 years answered a standardized questionnaire assessing frequency of insomnia symptoms, tiredness and school performance. A clear approximately twofold increasing trend in insomnia symptoms and tiredness was found from the mid-1990s to the end of the 2000s. The increase was evident in all participating age groups and in both genders. Af…

The medicine use and corresponding subjective health complaints among adolescents, a cross-national survey

BACKGROUND: Medicine use among children and young people is under-researched. Studies that investigated cross-national patterns in adolescents' medicine use practice are rare. This study aims to investigate adolescents' medicine use for corresponding health complaints in Europe and USA. METHODS: Nationally representative samples of adolescents from 19 countries and regions in Europe and USA completed an anonymous, standardised questionnaire as part of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children 2005/2006 survey. The prevalence of health complaints and medicine use were determined. The influence of the frequency of medicine use, age, gender and country of residence, on the likelihood of med…

Leisure-time physical activity and participation in organized sports : changes from 1985-2014 in Finland and Norway

Participation in organized sports is a popular and important part of the lives of children and adolescents and is associated with improved psychological and social health, as well as an increased likelihood of meeting physical activity (PA) recommendations. Changes in modern society, including increased car ownership and use of technology and electronic media, have led to an additional focus on the importance of health‐enhancing PA among children and adolescents. The aim of this article was to study the secular changes in self‐reports of participation in organized sports clubs and leisure‐time vigorous physical activity (LVPA), and whether the relationship between participation in organized…

Associations between adolescents’ energy drink consumption frequency and several negative health indicators

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to identify how various negative health indicators are associated with energy drink consumption frequency among 13- and 15-year-old Finnish adolescents. Methods Data (N = 2429) from the nationally representative international Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study (2018) were analyzed via descriptive analysis and logistic regression analyses, with control for salient covariates. Relative risks (RR) were derived from the adjusted odds ratios. Results Even infrequent energy drink consumption was associated with various negative health indicators. Moreover, as compared to non-users, frequent energy drink consumers were more likely to re…

Time trends of technology mediated communication with friends among bullied and not bullied children in four Nordic countries between 2001 and 2010

Background Friends are important in childhood and adolescence, especially to bullied children. Technology mediated communication (TMC) could be used both to develop and maintain friendship. The present study examined (1) trends in the use of TMC with friends between 2001 and 2010; (2) possible differences between bullied and not bullied children and (3) differences between children with few close friends and children with several close friends. Methods Data were obtained from three waves of the serial cross-sectional Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children survey conducted in Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden during 2001/2002, 2005/2006 and 2009/2010. The total sample consisted of 65 95…

Secular trends in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in 32 countries from 2002 to 2010: a cross-national perspective

Background: Sufficient levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) give substantial health benefits to adolescents. This article examines trends in physical activity (PA) from 2002 to 2010 across 32 countries from Europe and North America. Methods: Representative samples included 479 674 pupils (49% boys) aged 11 years ( n = 156 383), 13 years ( n = 163 729) and 15 years ( n = 159 562). The trends in meeting the recommendations for PA (at least 60 min daily) were evaluated using logistic regression. Results: There was a slight overall increase between 2002 and 2010 (17.0% and 18.6%, respectively). MVPA increased significantly ( P ≤ 0.05) among boys in 16 countries. Conversely, n…

Problematic Social Media Use and Health among Adolescents

1) Background: The use of social media has become an integral part of adolescents’ daily lives. However, the intensive use of social media can develop into a health-threatening addiction, but unfavourable health consequences can occur even with less use. Social media user groups categorized as no-risk, moderate risk (of developing problematic behaviour), and problematic use were examined with reference to their prevalence, their associations with individual determinants and health, and the increased health risk between groups. (2) Methods: The Finnish nationally representative HBSC data (persons aged 11, 13, and 15, n = 3408) and descriptive and binary logistic regression analysis were appl…

Attempts to lose weight among overweight and non-overweight adolescents: a cross-national survey

Abstract Background Despite the global obesity epidemic, few studies have performed cross-national comparisons of adolescents' attempts to lose weight and weight control practices. This study aims to investigate matters mentioned above by weight status in Europe, Israel, and North America. Methods Nationally representative samples of adolescents from over 30 countries completed an anonymous, standardized questionnaire as part of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children 2001/2002 survey. The prevalence and likelihood of attempts to lose weight were determined. The effect of weight status, self-perception of overweight, age and country of residence upon the likelihood of current attempts …

Does health literacy explain regional health disparities among adolescents in Finland?

Health literacy (HL)—as a broad range of health-related competencies—has been proposed to be a promising construct in understanding health disparities better, also among adolescents. Several factors have been found to explain differences in adolescents’ HL levels; however, not much is known about how different regions of a country or majority/minority status is associated with HL, or whether HL is associated with regional health disparities. The aim of this study was to examine and compare HL and health levels among majority- and minority-language-speaking adolescents living in different regions of Finland, and to explore if HL explains regional health disparities, taking into account other…

Asthma and wheezing symptoms in young people in six Western countries.

Background Asthma diagnosed in children shows wide geographical variations. Large scale surveys identify children with diagnosed asthma, but neglect the group of youngsters with multiple asthmatic complaints. Methods A short validated asthma questionnaire was included in six national surveys of the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children Study. Prevalence rates are presented by country, gender and age. Gender and age differences are analysed using binary and multinomial logistic regressions controlling for age and smoking. Results Large country differences are observed in the prevalence rates of diagnosed asthma (8.6%-20.9% in boys, 6.9%-18.5% in girls) and young people with “asthma-like s…

Ownership and Use of Commercial Physical Activity Trackers Among Finnish Adolescents: Cross-Sectional Study

BackgroundMobile phone apps for monitoring and promoting physical activity (PA) are extremely popular among adults. Devices, such as heart rate monitors or sports watches (HRMs/SWs) that work with these apps are at sufficiently low costs to be available through the commercial markets. Studies have reported an increase in PA levels among adults with devices; however, it is unknown whether the phenomena are similar during early adolescence. At a time when adolescents start to develop their own sense of independence and build friendship, the ease of smartphone availability in developed countries needs to be investigated in important health promoting behaviors such as PA. ObjectiveThe objective…

Test-retest reliability of selected items of Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey questionnaire in Beijing, China

Abstract Background Children's health and health behaviour are essential for their development and it is important to obtain abundant and accurate information to understand young people's health and health behaviour. The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study is among the first large-scale international surveys on adolescent health through self-report questionnaires. So far, more than 40 countries in Europe and North America have been involved in the HBSC study. The purpose of this study is to assess the test-retest reliability of selected items in the Chinese version of the HBSC survey questionnaire in a sample of adolescents in Beijing, China. Methods A sample of 95 male an…

Reliability and Validity of Family Affluence Scale (FAS II) among Adolescents in Beijing, China

This study comprises two sub-studies. Study I assessed the test-retest reliability of Family Affluence Scale (FAS II) items among 95 students aged 11 and 15 years old in Beijing. Study II investigated the completion rate of traditional indicators (parents’ educational level, perceived family wealth, resident area, and school location) measuring socioeconomic status (SES) compared with FAS II, and examined the internal reliability, external and construct validity of the FAS II items in a population of 5876 schoolchildren aged 11, 13 and 15 years old in Beijing. Our study found that the FAS II items have high completion rates (> 99%) which are better than other SES indicators. Analyses of rel…

Prevalence of self-reported chronic pain among adolescents: Evidence from 42 countries and regions

© 2018 European Pain Federation ‐ EFIC ®

Perceived tiredness among adolescents and its association with sleep habits and use of psychoactive substances

This study investigated the variation in perceived tiredness among 11, 13 and 15-year-old Finnish adolescents (n = 4187). Additionally interrelationships between sleep habits, use of psychoactive substances (alcohol, tobacco and coffee) and perceived tiredness among 15-year-olds were examined. This study is part of an international, WHO-coordinated survey of school children's health and lifestyle (the HBSC Study). In Finland, research data represented the whole country. The data were collected in March-May 1994. Pupils responded anonymously to a standardized questionnaire during a class period. Subjective tiredness was very common and increased with age among adolescents. Perceived tirednes…

Physical Activity of Children With and Without Long-Term Illness or Disability

Background:We know very little about physical activity in children with long-term illness or disability compared with those children without disabilities. Previous studies indicate low physical activity levels among all adolescents.Methods:The sample consisted of Canadian (n = 2720) and Finnish pupils (n = 3459) approximately 13.5 and 15.5 years of age in general (mainstreamed) education. The study is a part of the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. Nationally representative data were collected in 2002 using a standardized questionnaire. The moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity screening measure was used.Results:Approximately one-fifth of the pupils in both co…

International Trends in Adolescent Screen-Time Behaviors From 2002 to 2010

Abstract Purpose Engaging in prolonged screen-time behaviors (STBs) is detrimental for health. The objective of the present analyses was to examine temporal trends in TV viewing and computer use among adolescents across 30 countries. Methods Data were derived from the cross-national Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. Data on TV viewing and computer use for gaming and nongaming purposes were collected in 2002 (n = 139,725 [51.4% girls]), 2006 (n = 149,251 [51.3% girls]), and 2010 (n = 154,845 [51.2% girls]). The temporal trends in TV viewing and computer use were each tested for all countries combined and for each individual country by sex-specific univariate analysis of varianc…

Energy Drink Consumption Among Finnish Adolescents: Prevalence, Associated Background Factors, Individual Resources, and Family Factors.

Objectives: Energy drink consumption among adolescents has become a notable global phenomenon, and has been associated with numerous negative health outcomes. In order to understand the popularity of energy drinks among adolescents, and to target interventions, it is important to identify the determinants underpinning consumption. Methods: The nationally representative data (cross-sectional) were drawn from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) surveys, conducted in 2014 and 2018, each comprising 13- and 15-year-old Finnish adolescents (n = 7405). Results: Weekly energy drink consumption increased among Finnish adolescents between 2014 (18.2%) and 2018 (24.4%), especially amon…

Oral Hygiene Habits of 11-year-old Schoolchildren in 22 European Countries and Canada in 1993/1994

This study is part of the Cross-National Survey on Health Behaviour in School-aged Children-a WHO Collaborative Study, which started in 1982. The aim of the study was to describe the oral hygiene habits (toothbrushing and flossing) of 11-year-old schoolchildren in 22 European countries (Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greenland, Hungary, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Russia, Scotland, the Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, and Wales) and Canada. The data were collected from standardized anonymous questionnaires in school classrooms during the 1993-1994 school year. At least 1300 schoolchildren, representing the w…

Drinking motives mediate cultural differences but not gender differences in adolescent alcohol use

Item does not contain fulltext PURPOSE: To test whether differences in alcohol use between boys and girls and between northern and southern/central Europe are mediated by social, enhancement, coping, and conformity motives. METHODS: Cross-sectional school-based surveys were conducted among 33,813 alcohol-using 11-to 19-year-olds from northern Europe (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Poland, Scotland, and Wales) and southern/central Europe (Belgium, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Slovakia, and Switzerland). RESULTS: Particularly in late adolescence and early adulthood, boys drank more frequently and were more often drunk than girls. Instead of mediation, gender-specific motive paths were found…

Koulukokemusten kansainvälistä vertailua 2010 sekä muutokset Suomessa ja Pohjoismaissa 1994-2010 : WHO-koululaistutkimus (HBSC-study)

Tässä raportissa kuvataan 5., 7. ja 9. luokan oppilaiden koulukokemuksia, kouluviihtyvyyttä ja sosiaalisia suhteita sekä niissä tapahtuneita muutoksia vuodesta 1994 vuoteen 2010 Suomessa. Tutkimustulokset perustuvat WHO-Koululaistutkimuksen suomenkielistä perusopetusta antavista kouluista kerättyihin aineistoihin vuosilta 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006 ja 2010. Raportissa tarkastellaan kaikilla vuosiluokilla koetun koulumenestyksen ja 9. luokan oppilaiden koulutusorientaation yhteyksiä koulukokemuksiin. Lisäksi vertaillaan oppilaiden kokemuksia Pohjoismaissa 1994–2010 koulusta pitämisestä, koulutyöstä kuormittumisesta, oppilaiden välisistä suhteista ja koulukiusaamisesta. Näitä teemoja käsitellään …

LIITU 2018 -tutkimus : liikunnan merkitysten kirjo on kaventunut

Hieman reilu kolmasosa suomalaislapsista ja -nuorista liikkui suosituksen mukaan – toimintarajoitteita kokevista joka neljäs. Lasten ja nuorten liikunnalle antamien merkitysten kirjo oli kaventunut ja esteet vahvistuneet, vaikka koettu pätevyys ja liikuntamotivaatio olivat korkealla. Suurin osa lapsista ja nuorista kannatti urheilun eettisten sääntöjen noudattamista. Säännöllinen liikkuminen oli myönteisesti yhteydessä koettuun terveyteen. Säännöllisesti liikkuvilla oli myös vähemmän yksinäisyyden kokemuksia. nonPeerReviewed

Empowerment-enabling home and school environments and self-rated health among Finnish adolescents

SummaryPerceived health during adolescence has not only immediate consequences for individuals and for society, but also long-term. We need to understand better the health development in this period of the lifespan. Empowerment may be one pathway through which social factors and conditions translate into health effects. This study aimed to examine whether empowerment-enabling home and school environments are associated with self-rated health among adolescents, and whether the associations differ between genders, age or majority/minority language groups. Anonymous questionnaire data from respondents aged 11, 13 and 15 years were obtained from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children stud…

Nuorten yksinäisyys on yhteydessä lisääntyneeseen oireiluun ja lääkkeiden käyttöön

LÄHTÖKOHDAT Yksinäisyys on merkittävä riski nuoren terveydelle. Selvitimme suomalaisnuorten kokeman yksinäisyyden yleisyyttä ja yhteyksiä psykosomaattiseen oireiluun sekä lääkkeiden käyttöön. MENETELMÄT Aineistona käytettiin kansallisesti edustavaa WHO-Koululaistutkimusta, johon vastasi 1 798 oppilasta 7. ja 9. luokilta keväällä 2018. Tilastollisina menetelminä käytettiin2-testiä ja 95 %:n luottamusvälitarkastelua. TULOKSET Yksinäisyys yleistyi yläkoulun aikana, ja lähes joka kuudes 15-vuotias tunsi itsensä vähintään melko usein yksinäiseksi. Yksinäiset nuoret raportoivat muita yleisemmin pää-, vatsa- ja selkäkipua sekä hermostuneisuutta ja nukahtamisvaikeuksia. He käyttivät niihin lääkkeit…

Is physical activity associated with low-risk health behaviours among 15-year-old adolescents in Finland?

Aims: To investigate the associations between physical activity and the pattern of risk health behaviour consisting of smoking, alcohol consumption, snuff (snus), cannabis, and condom use among 15-year-old adolescents, taking their educational aspirations and family affluence into account. Methods: The data were collected in the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study in Finland in 2006. Standardised questionnaires were issued at schools to a 15-year-old nationally representative sample, of which 84.5% (1710 pupils) participated. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the associations between physical activity, pattern of risk health behaviour, family affluence, and…

Pojat nostavat painoja ja tytöt pudottavat niitä: WHO-Koululaistutkimuksen tuloksia

Different drinking motives, different adverse consequences? Evidence among adolescents from 10 European countries

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: This study, which builds on previous research demonstrating that drinking motives are associated with adverse consequences, investigates the associations between drinking motives and non-alcohol-attributed adverse consequences and disentangles alcohol-related and direct effects. DESIGN AND METHOD: On the basis of a sample of 22 841 alcohol-using 13- to 16-year-olds (50.6% female) from Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Portugal, Scotland, Slovakia, Switzerland and Wales, structural equation models were used to estimate direct and indirect effects. Additionally, differences across countries were tested in a multigroup analysis. RESULTS: The indirect effect (vi…

Tyttöjen painonpudottaminen, painonhallintakeinot ja liikunta-aktiivisuus

Tutkimuksessa selvitettiin, kuinka yleisesti 13- ja 15-vuotiaat suomalaistytöt ilmoittavat pudottavansa painoaan, millaisena he kokevat painonsa ja millaisia painonhallintakeinoja he ilmoittavat käyttävänsä. Lisäksi tutkittiin, eroavatko aktiivisesti liikkuvat tytöt painoindeksin, painon kokemisen, painonpudottamisen tai painonhallintakeinojen suhteen vähemmän liikuntaa harrastavista. Tutkimuksen aineisto on koottu WHO-Koululaistutkimuksen vuoden 2002 kyselystä, jonka otos edustaa koko Suomen seitsemäs- (N = 853) ja yhdeksäsluokkalaisia (N = 875) tyttöjä. Ylipainoisiksi luokiteltiin tytöt, joiden painoindeksi oli yhtä suuri tai suurempi kuin ikäspesifin painoindeksijakauman 85. persentiilin…

Nuorten ateriarytmi : Kuka syö koulupäivinä säännöllisesti?

Tutkimuksessa selvitettiin aamiaisen, lounaan ja ilta-aterian muodostaman ateriarytmin yleisyyttä 7- ja 9-luokkalaisilla suomalaisnuorilla koulupäivinä. Lisäksi tarkasteltiin elintapojen, koulutusorientaation ja perhetekijöitten yhteyksiä ateriarytmin säännöllisyyteen. Tulokset perustuvat WHO-Koululaistutkimuksen kyselyyn, johon koululaiset (N = 3477) vastasivat vuonna 2002. Aineiston analysoinnissa käytettiin ristiintaulukointeja ja logistisia regressioanalyysejä. Noin 40 prosenttia pojista ja vajaa 30 prosenttia tytöistä söi aamiaisen, lounaan ja ilta-aterian säännöllisesti koulupäivinään. Vähäinen alkoholin käyttö ja aikomus mennä lukioon olivat yhteydessä säännölliseen ateriarytmiin sek…

Attempts to lose weight among overweight and non-overweight adolescents : a cross-national survey

Background: Despite the global obesity epidemic, few studies have performed cross-national comparisons of adolescents' attempts to lose weight and weight control practices. This study aims to investigate matters mentioned above by weight status in Europe, Israel, and North America. Methods: Nationally representative samples of adolescents from over 30 countries completed an anonymous, standardized questionnaire as part of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children 2001/2002 survey. The prevalence and likelihood of attempts to lose weight were determined. The effect of weight status, self-perception of overweight, age and country of residence upon the likelihood of current attempts to lose…