Journal of the Korean Academy of Family Medicine 1989;10(3):12-19.
Published online March 1, 1989.

청소년의 건강관심문제 우선순위에 관한 연구

전영익 김민수 배철영 윤방부

연세대학교의과대학 가정의학교실

Abstract

Due to the their rapid physical and psychological change, many adolescents in their growth development find themselves unstable and in a state of anxiety. Lack of communication between adolescents and adults also contributes to ineffective medical intervention. The author for the purpose of assessing the types of interests the adolescents have and what sort of problem they wish to discuss with a physician surveyed 702 boys and girls in 6 junior high and high schools located in Seoul from Oct.9 of 1988 through Oct.30 of 1988.
The survey consisted of 32 questions. The results analyzed are as follows:
1. Of the total 702 students surveyed, the number of boys and girls were 349(49.7%), 353(50.3%), respectively. Among them, 358(51.0%) were junior high school students and 344(49.0%) were high school students.
2. Of the 702 student, 462(65.8%) replied they had someone to consult to if needed. 243(52.6%) consulted their problems with their mothers 127(27.5%) consulted their fathers and 41(8.9%) consulted their friends.
3. The problems most of the surveyed students wanted to discuss with were school problems (85.3%), problems of identity (80.2%), healthy diet (70.2%) in order of frequency.
4. In comparing the interests of both boys and girls, boys had more interest in school problems (79.9%), problems of identity (75.4%), healthy diet (64.5%), peer relationships (61.3%), relationships with opposite sex (59.9%). Girls had more interest in school problems (90.6%), problems of identity (85.1%), peer relationships (76.0%), healthy diet (75.7%), healthy exercise (72.9%) in order of frequency. Also, girls had more interests in problems concerning peer relationships, depression, healthy exercise than boys whereas boys had more interests in problems concerning sexual problems such as sexual conduct, sexually transmitted disease and problems concerning relationships with opposite sex.
5. In comparing junior high and high school students, junior high school students were more in school problems (86.6%), problem of identity (79.6%), peer relationships (72.3%), healthy diets (67.6%), healthy exercise (64.3%) in order of frequency. High school students had more interest in school problems (83.9%), problems of identity (80.9%), healthy diet (72.9%), healthy exercise (65.1%), peer relationships (64.8%) in order of frequency. Junior high school students had more interest in peer relationships and relationships with their teachers than high school students whereas high school students had more concern in problems relating to loss of self-esteem, difference of opinion with parents and sexual conduct.
6. Of the total 702 adolescents surveyed the actual number of students with prior experience in consulting were 249(35.5%). Among them, only 4 students (1.6%) consulted a physician.
7. The fact that approximately 85% of students surveyed wanted to consult a physician with problems relating to school shows that current educational system in our society appears to have great impact in the psychological health of adolescents, and necessitaties social reform regarding health care in adolescents.
Additionally, 4 out of 5 adolescents were concerned with their problems of identity. Almost over half of the adolescents wished to consult a physician concerning problems relating to depression. Therefore, it is worthwhile for physicians to be concerned with problems noted above and other problems concerning healthy diet, peer relationships and health exercise.
8. Many adolescents seem to have much interest regarding their health whereas many physicans had very little involvement in consulting adolescents concerned with their health care. Also it as extremely rare for a physician to actually in tervene with problems concerning health in adolescents. Therefore it is advisable that physicians take their part in helping adolescents with their problems intervene in the health care of adolescents with a positive attitude conforming to social environment.