Adolescent’s social health indices as determinants of health risk behaviours among secondary school students in Ijebu-Ode local government area of Ogun state, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined adolescents’ social health indices as determinants of health risk behaviours among secondary school students in Ijebu-Ode Local Government Area of Ogun State. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The study population comprised 1,000 adolescents in the study area. Stratified, proportionate and simple random sampling techniques were used to select the sample. Two self-structured and expert validated questionnaires were used in the study. The collected data were analyzed using Cronbach Alpha to determine internal consistency of the instrument. The hypothesis was tested using multiple regressions. The significant of the joint contribution was tested at P< 0.05. It shows that the analysis of variance for the regression yielded F. value = 42.94, P<0.05. The results showed that social health indices are significant joint determinant of health risk behaviours among secondary school students in Ijebu-Ode Local Government Area of Ogun State. Based on the findings in the study, school counselors and mass media intervention programmes should be encouraged to have impacts on smoking prevention among adolescents in schools. Violence among students should be discouraged to avoid health problems among adolescents.