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Psychosocial risk clustering in high school students
1Dept. of Community Health and Epidemiology, Queen's University, Kingston (ON), Canada K7L 3N6. hh11@post.queensu.ca
Adolescent psychosocial risk factors cluster into three groups: low-risk, stressed, and substance users. This identifies distinct profiles for targeted school-based health promotion and prevention programs.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent health
- Psychosocial risk factors
- Cluster analysis
Background:
- Investigated self-reported psychosocial risk factors in adolescents.
- Quantified the extent of multiple risks within a defined population.
- Utilized cluster analysis to identify distinct psychosocial risk profiles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the frequency of adolescent psychosocial risk factors.
- To quantify the extent of multiple risks.
- To develop empirically distinct psychosocial risk clusters.
Main Methods:
- Survey administered to 3540 high school students (grades 9-13).
- Cumulative risk calculated by summing exceeded thresholds on rating scales.
- Non-hierarchical cluster analysis used to create risk clusters.
Main Results:
- Identified three distinct clusters: Normals (21%), Stressed (45%), and Substance Users (34%).
- Stressed group reported issues with schoolwork and parents; Substance Users reported high stress, distress, and substance use.
- Clusters differed significantly in socio-demographic factors and health utilization, indicating validity for program targeting.
Conclusions:
- Highlights the importance of addressing multi-morbidities in adolescents.
- Demonstrates cluster analysis utility for identifying risk profiles.
- Suggests school-based programs can target identified risk profiles for health promotion and prevention.
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