Health asset profiles and health indicators among 13- and 15-year-old adolescents

Leena Paakkari (), Minna Torppa, Raili Välimaa, Jari Villberg, Kristiina Ojala and Jorma Tynjälä
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Leena Paakkari: University of Jyväskylä
Minna Torppa: University of Jyväskylä
Raili Välimaa: University of Jyväskylä
Jari Villberg: University of Jyväskylä
Kristiina Ojala: University of Jyväskylä
Jorma Tynjälä: University of Jyväskylä

International Journal of Public Health, 2019, vol. 64, issue 9, No 10, 1311 pages

Abstract: Abstract Objectives We examined the associations between adolescents’ health assets and various health indicators (smoking, alcohol use, sleep length, physical activity, healthy eating, oral health, self-reported health, multiple health complaints). Methods A nationally representative sample was drawn from Finnish-speaking schools, comprising 13- and 15-year-old adolescents (n = 3833). The measures taken covered the adolescents’ health assets, which were labelled Family-financial, Psychological, Family-social, Friends-social, School-social, and Human. Our analysis applied two-step cluster analysis and multilevel mixed-effects binary logistic regression. Results Six asset profiles were identified: ‘Limited in most assets, despite medium affluence’, ‘Mostly average assets, but low affluence’, ‘Mostly average assets, though high affluence’, ‘Mostly above average assets’, ‘Rich in most assets’, and ‘Rich in all assets’. There were significant differences between the profiles in terms of risk level and desirable level health outcomes. Conclusions Adolescents differ in their asset profiles. Having multiple health assets appears to protect adolescents from risky behaviour or poor health, and to promote positive health. There is a need for health initiatives to develop a range of health-protecting and health-promoting assets, rather than focus on only one.

Keywords: Adolescents; Health assets; Profiles; Health indicator (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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DOI: 10.1007/s00038-019-01280-7

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