Email this article 
Hide
Show all
Relationship between adolescents’ family function with socio-demographic characteristics and behaviour risk factors in a primary care facility
Abstract
Objective: This study assesses the relationship between adolescents’ family functioning with socio-demographic characteristics and behavioural risk factors.
Method: The research was a cross-sectional, hospital-based study carried out at the General Outpatients Department, University College Hospital (GOPD,UCH), Ibadan, over a period of three months. Four hundred subjects were recruited using a modified Guideline for Adolescent Preventive Services (GAPS) questionnaire, with an incorporated family APGAR (Adaptation,Partnership, Growth, Affection, Resolve) score table. The results were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 11 and the findings on the family assessment and behavioural risk factors were relayed to the respondents.
Results: The ages of the adolescents ranged from 10 to 19 years. Of the subjects, 8% were sexually active. Mean age for first coitus among the respondents was 15 ± 2.4 years. The rate of ingestion of alcohol and cigarette smoking was very low. The family APGAR scores obtained revealed that 84.5% subjects were rated as having a functional family (7–10 points) and 15.5% of the subjects were rated as having a dysfunctional family (0–6 points). There was a significant association between perceived family function and subjects’ occupation (p = 0.01), parent social class (p = 0.00) and subjects’ sexual activities (p = 0.00).
Conclusion: The majority of the adolescents were rated as having functional families. Dysfunctional families had significantly sexually active respondents.
How to cite this article:Muyibi AS, Ajayi I-OO,Irabor AE, Ladipo MMA. Relationship between adolescents’ family function with sociodemographic characteristics and behaviour risk factors in a primary care facility. Afr J Prm Health Care Fam Med.2010; 2(1), Art. #177, 6 pages.DOI: 10.4102/phcfm.v2i1.177
References
Forman SF, Emans SJ. Current goals for adolescent health care. Hosp Physician. 2000;36(1):27−42.
Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), World Health Organisation (WHO), Nigeria. Adolescent sexuality and reproductive health. Grange A, Odemwingwe T, Oyeledun B, editors. Training manual and facilitator’s guide. Lagos: Fidel Enterprises, 1999; p. 1−198.
National Population Commission. Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), Abuja, Nigeria, 2003.
Weyman K, Watson W, Wetzel W. Managing the adolescent
patient in family practice. Abstract presented at: 17th World Conference of Family Doctors (WONCA), 2004. Orlando, USA. 3399;127.
Inem AV, Ayankogbe OO, Obazee M, Ladipo M.M, Udonwa NE, Odusote K. Conceptual and contexual paradigm of the family as a unit of care. Nig Med Prac. 2004;45(112):9–12.
Norman J, Montalto GO. Implementing the Guidelines for Adolescent Preventive Services (GAPS). American Family Physician. The Am Acad of Fam Physicians. 1998;1–10.
Ransome-Kuti O. Adolescent Health Policy. Nigeria: FMOH, 1995; p. 1–16.
Russel V. Adolescent development characteristics. Adolescent
Medicine, [Book on the Internet]. 2003 [cited 2003 May 04]. Available from: http://www.harcourt-international.com.
WHO. In: McIntyre P, editor. Adolescent friendly health services. An Agenda for change. [Book on the Internet]. 2002. [cited 2005 Nov 11]. Available from: http://www.who.int/child-adolescent-health.
Omigbodun OO, Babalola O. Psychosocial dynamics of psychoactive substance misuse among Nigerian adolescents. Ann of Afr Med. 2004;3(3):111–115.
Makinwa O, Adebusoye P. Youth and reproductive health in Africa. Assessment of Adolescent Reproductive Health in Nigeria, under the UNFPA Assisted Adolescent and Gender Project in Sub-Saharan Africa; 1997.
Araoye MO, Fakeye OO. Sexuality and contraception among Nigerian adolescents and youth. Afr J Reprod Health. 1998;2(2):142–150.
Fatusi, AO. Adolescent sexual and reproductive health needs in Nigeria: Shaping a pragmatic and effective response. J Comm Med and Prim Health Care. 2005;17(1):1−6.
De-Anne, MM. General systems and family systems theory. In: Bruce-Tagoe AA, editor. Basic principles of family medicine. Accra: Sonlife Press, 2005; p. 18−40.
Cambell TL, Bray JH. The family influence on health. In: Robert ER, editor. Textbook of Family Practice. 6th ed, Pennsylvania: W B Saunders Company, 2002; p. 31−41.
Stevenson JS, editor. Issues and crises during Middlescence.
New York: Appleton-Century Crafts; 1977.
Gabriel S. The family in crisis and family function (APGAR) test. In: Taylor RB, editor. Family Medicine, Principle and Practice. New York: Springler-Verlag; 1978; p. 234−241.
Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia. Wikimedia foundation incorporation. Dysfunctional family definition [homepage on the Internet]. c2006 [cited 2006 June 10]. Available from: http:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/dysfunctional.
Slater A. Dysfunctional families. Edges magazine [serial online]. 2004 [cited 2006 Sept 04]; 39: 1−2. Available from: http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/edges/online/issues.39/p 18.htm>
Smilkstein G. The family APGAR; A proposal for a family function test and its use by Physicians. J Fam Practice.1978;6:1231−1239.
Gonzales NA. Family interventions to prevent or reduce adolescent risk behavior. Presented at Science of Adolescence Workshop on Social and Environmental Influences and Adolescent Risk Behavior .The National Academies Washington DC;2009.
Araoye MO. Subject selection and sample size determination. In Research Methodology with Statistics for Health and Social Sciences. Ilorin, Nathadex Publisher, 2003; p. 117−119.
David R. Registrar General’s social classes. Official social classification in the United Kingdom. In: Gilbert N, editor. Social Research Update, Department of Sociology, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, England; 1995. 9: p1–8.
Aspy CB, Vesely SK, Oman RF, et al. Parent communication
and youth sexual behaviour: Implications for physicians.
Fam Med. 2006;38(7):500−554.
Overturf JV, Downs B. Adolescent behaviour and family relationships.
Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America, Population Division, US Census Bureau. Minneapolis, MN, 2003.
Tripovic S. Risk behaviour of adolescents in the condition of transition at Gordana-Belgrade. Abstract presented at 17th World Conference of Family Doctors (WONCA); Orlando USA, 2004. 3377; 201.
Igwe WC , Ojinnaka N, Ejiofor SO, Emechebe GO, Ibe BC. Socio Demographic Correlates of Psychoactive Substance Abuse among Secondary School Students in Enugu, Nigeria. Europ J of Social Science. 2009;12(2):277.
McNeely CA, Shew ML, Beuhring T, Sieving R, Miller BC, and Blum RW. Mothers’ Influence on Adolescents’ Sexual Debut. J of Adol Health. 2002;31(3):256–265.
Full Text: PDF (423) KB HTML XML
