Assessment of Health Risk Behaviours among Secondary School Students in Enugu, South-East, Nigeria

INTRODUCTION: Health risk behaviours contribute to the leading causes of deaths and disability among adults and youth.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to investigate the prevalence of health risk behaviours among secondary school students in Enugu, South-East Nigeria.

METHODS: This cross sectional study was conducted between May and July 2015 among 348 school students randomly selected in six secondary schools in rural and urban areas. Data was analysed using SPSS version 21, and statistical significance of association between variables was assessed using Chi-square test at p<0.05.

RESULTS: Overall, 348 respondents out of 360 returned the completed questionnaires. 50.6% were females, while their mean age was 15.2 ± 5.1 years. Majority of respondents live with both parents (73.9%).

Many respondents 44.5% had taken alcohol, while 13.5%, and 40.8% had smoked cigarette and had sex before respectively. Also, 59.8% had experienced one form of violence, while 37.6% of them preferred fast food junks to food prepared at home.

Age, sex and class did not significantly influence participants that had taken alcohol. Also, age, sex and class did not significantly influence those that had sex in the past. However, sex significantly influenced smoking of cigarettes.

CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS: Our results showed high percentage of health risky behaviours among secondary school students. Introduction of compulsory health education curriculum activities in schools was recommended.