Profile of urban slum-dwelling, school-going adolescent girls in Western India

Jayesh Panot; Pradnya Jadhav; Sandhya Khadse; Sundaram Kartikeyan

Volume : VIII, Issue : XII, December - 2019

Profile of urban slum-dwelling, school-going adolescent girls in Western India

Jayesh Panot, Pradnya Jadhav, Sandhya Khadse, Sundaram Kartikeyan

Abstract :

This cross–sectional community–based study was conducted using convenience sampling in a metropolitan city in Western India to study the profile of slum–dwelling, school–going adolescent girls. Written informed consent was obtained from one or both parents and the participants. The participants (n=103; mean age: 12.36 +/– 1.21 years) were interviewed using a semi–structured pre–tested questionnaire. 25.24% faced parental disapproval for regular use of electronic gadgets. 27.18% knew about contraception. 3.88% admitted to consuming non–smoking tobacco. 76.69% were socially active and 94.17% revealed that their parents approved of their friends. Many respondents revealed history of domestic problems, of being bullied at school and of child abuse. Self–reported psychological issues included sleep disturbances, feeling of loneliness, low self–worth, anger issues and mood swings and the main sources of psychological support were their mothers and friends. Health care personnel have a major role in implementing community awareness programmes and activities that facilitate healthy lifestyles.