Figure - available from: Health Science Reports
This content is subject to copyright. Terms and conditions apply.
statistics of different categories of the response and predictor variables (frequency, percentage in parenthesis) measured on the Global School‐based Health Survey data
Source publication
Background and Aims
Mental health condition among adolescents is a leading cause of health‐related disability in Sri Lanka. The study aims to estimate the prevalence and evaluate the associated risk factors in three major mental health domains—loneliness, anxiety and suicidal ideation—among Sri Lankan adolescents.
Methods
We conducted a secondary...
Similar publications
Suicide-related behaviors among adolescents have garnered increasing social attention, while few studies have revealed the association between health literacy and suicide-related behaviors, and the underlying mechanism. Thus, this study aims to explore the effect of health literacy on suicide-related behaviors in Chinese adolescents, as well as the...
The 24-hour Movement Behaviour (24-h MovBeh) paradigm, encompassing physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour (SB) and sleep patterns, is recognised as a holistic approach to adolescent health. It emphasises promoting PA, reducing SB and ensuring sufficient sleep, especially in school environments. Understanding the links between lifestyle factor...
Scant studies have investigated adverse childhood experience (ACE) outcomes and mastery during adolescence in different cultural contexts. This cross‐sectional study examines the impact of ACEs on subjective well‐being, health complaints, and healthcare utilization during late adolescence, including the mediating role of the sense of mastery in the...
Adolescents in their quest for self-discovery urgently need an idol to help construct their self-identity. Sports idols, with their spirit of striving for excellence and charismatic personalities, are pursued and admired by teenagers, exerting a significant and profound influence on their growth. Due to the rapid development of mass media, the imag...
During last decades, a departure from health-related lifestyles has been observed among adolescents. Evidence reports that healthy lifestyles could be predictors of better mental health status. The aims of the SESSAMO Project are: 1) to assess the association between lifestyles and physical and mental health; 2) to assess how self-concept and stres...
Citations
... Te response options for both of these questions were "never," "rarely," "sometimes," "most of the times," and "always." Adolescents responding "sometimes," "most of the times," and "always" for each question were considered as "feeling lonely" and having "anxiety" [24]. We assessed information about suicidal ideation among the adolescents through the question "During the past 12 months, did you ever seriously consider attempting suicide?" Te response options were "yes" and "no," and we categorized the adolescents based on these two responses. ...
Background
Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for chronic diseases and are the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Obesity during adolescence is strongly associated with adulthood obesity leading to increased morbidities and mortality. As a developing country undergoing rapid urbanization, Nepal is in a transitional phase where undernutrition coexists with obesity; however, there is a dearth of literature on the status of adolescent obesity in the rural section of Nepal. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of adolescent obesity in a rural district of Nepal and find out its associated factors.
Methods
An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among the adolescent students studying in classes 8, 9, and 10 in four secondary schools of Gosaikunda rural municipality of Rasuwa district, Nepal. Total enumerative sampling was used, and Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS) standard questionnaires were used in collecting the information. Height and weight measurements were taken, and the body mass index was classified according to Asia-Pacific criteria. The collected data were analyzed using “SPSS” version 22. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the associated factors, and a p value of ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results
Out of 267 adolescents, 14.6% were obese and 14.6% were overweight. Of the female participants, 39.6% were either obese or overweight, while 12.6% of the male adolescents were overweight/obese. Among the total participants, 16.5% were underweight, including 14.0% females and 20.4% males. Female adolescents were about five times (AOR: 5.2, 95% CI (2.5–10.9), p < 0.01) more likely of being overweight/obese than male adolescents.
Conclusions
More than one-quarter of the adolescents were found to be obese/overweight, and the prevalence was significantly more among female adolescents. It emphasizes the necessity of school-based programs promoting a healthy lifestyle among students to maintain healthy weight status.
... When considering the current situation in Sri Lanka, the impact of mental health issues are significant. The high prevalence of the mental disorders, following the shortage of professional mental healthcare professionals, the stigma surrounding the mental illness, and the not having continuous monitored and, updated data relates one's emotional variant and other relevant factors, has resulted in significant challenge in providing improvement in mental health in public in Sri Lankan context [16]. In worldwide it is considered one in every eight people live with a low mental health condition. ...
This research presents a novel approach to enhance mental well-being and
alleviate anxiety and depression symptoms in individuals by introducing a
multi-modal emotion prediction mechanism and an AI agent for personalized
activity recommendations. The study employs state-of-the-art deep learning
models to predict emotions based on facial expressions, vocal tones, and vocal
text, with a focus on the Sri Lankan context. A reinforcement learning agent
is incorporated to suggest personalized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
activities based on the predicted emotions.
The developed models demonstrated high accuracy: 72% for the facial expression
model, 73% for the vocal tone model, and 86% for the vocal text model. The
e!ectiveness of the AI agent’s intervention was evaluated using the DASS-21
questionnaire, with the study group reporting significant improvements in mental
well-being, including reductions in anxiety and depression scores. The average
depression score decreased from 21.08 pre-intervention to 13.54 post-intervention,
and the average anxiety score reduced from 19.85 to 10.46. In contrast, the control
group experienced an increase in average depression and anxiety scores.
The research contributes to the field of personalized mental health interventions by
e!ectively combining multi-modal emotion prediction models and AI-based activity
suggestions to enhance individuals’ mental well-being.
... s of the significance childhood corporal punishment has on the development of youth-based aggression, and anxiety in the western province of Sri Lanka. Therefore, it was vital to investigate if the rising reported cases of aggression and anxiety in the youth of Western province Sri Lanka (Sprigge & Wooster-Prematilaka, 2018;Rathnayake et. al, 2022;Rasalingam et. al., 2022) consist a relation to such administration as a child. The aim of this study is to investigate if there is a relationship between childhood corporal punishment and aggression, together with childhood corporal punishment and anxiety in the youth of western province of Sri Lanka. The overall objective of this study is to measure the relati ...
Corporal punishment is a widely used method of discipline that has proven a relationship to several negative outcomes however a few studies have examined the repercussions of the administration of corporal punishment across Sri Lanka. The current study investigated the link between corporal punishment and aggression along with corporal punishment and anxiety in the youth of western province, Sri Lanka. Data was gathered through convenience and snowball sampling (N = 60; 26 males; 34 female; Mage = 1.57; SDage= .500) which necessitated the participants to fill three questionnaires concerning corporal punishment, aggression, and anxiety. Spearman correlation revealed a significant moderate positive correlation between corporal punishment and aggression (= .536, p<0.01) along with a significant weak positive relationship between corporal punishment and anxiety (= .436, p<0.01). These findings inform that the administration of corporal punishment links to the development of aggression, and anxiety in the youth of the western province of Sri Lanka.
Introduction
Suicide is an important public health problem with a complex aetiology; this includes adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Common to suicide and ACEs research is a lack of evidence from low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). This review aims to evaluate associations between ACEs and suicidality in LMICs.
Methods
In this systematic review and meta-analysis, a search for articles investigating associations between any ACEs and suicidal outcomes in LMICs was conducted using Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Web of Science on 2 December 2022; updated on 14 January 2025. Cross-sectional or cohort study research articles investigating ACEs prior to age 18 and using population-based, probabilistic or total population, sampling were eligible for inclusion. Suicidal outcomes across the spectrum were eligible for inclusion. Identified records underwent two-step screening by two independent reviewers; data extraction and risk of bias assessment using Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tools were also completed in duplicate. Random-effects models were used to calculate pooled ORs. Articles that could not be meta-analysed were narratively synthesised. Reporting of this review was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 statement.
Results
Ultimately, 118 articles were included; all were of low or moderate risk of bias and none reported on suicide mortality. Six ACEs were significantly associated with increased odds of suicidal outcomes: (1) bullying-victimisation, (2) emotional, verbal or psychological abuse victim, (3) parental separation, divorce or death, (4) physical abuse or violence victim, (5) physical attack victim and (6) sexual abuse victim. Significant ORs ranged from 1.19 to 2.61. Positive associations were found across subgroup and sensitivity analyses. Narrative review found statistically significant positive and non-significant associations between ACEs and suicidal outcomes.
Conclusions
ACEs are associated with suicidal outcomes in LMICs, highlighting the need for early intervention strategies and multisector public health approaches to reducing ACEs and their potential impacts.
Objective
Suicide and suicidal behaviour strongly contribute to overall male youth mortality. An understanding of worldwide data contextualises suicide and suicidal behaviour in young men within any given country.
Method
Members and colleagues of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry’s Task Force on Men’s Mental Health review the relevant data from several regions of the world. The review identifies notable findings across regions of relevance to researchers, policymakers, and clinicians.
Results
Male suicide and suicidal behaviour in adolescence and emerging adulthood within North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, the Mediterranean and the Middle East, Continental Africa, South Asia, East Asia, China, and Oceania share similarities as well as significant points of divergence.
Conclusions
International data provide an opportunity to obtain a superior understanding of suicide and suicidal behaviour amongst young men.
School Guidance and Counselling services are universally implemented to facilitate students in realizing their full potential and shaping their future lives (Smith, 2020)1. While these services play a crucial role in meeting the diverse needs of students in Sri Lanka, research indicates operational challenges (Buddhiprabha, 2016)2. This article presents findings from a survey study conducted to explore how school guidance and counselling units in Sri Lanka can contribute to resolving educational problems faced by adolescents. The main research study employed a mixed-methods design, incorporating 275 students, 24 class teachers, 5 principals and 5 counselling teachers in the Walasmulla Educational zone in Sri Lanka. The data collection involved the use of questionnaires and interviews. Quantitative analysis was conducted using percentages and charts, while qualitative analysis relied on summaries descriptive essays and structured compositions. Results highlights prevalent educational problems among adolescents, predominantly cognitive issues. Challenges related to studying, exams, the learning process, and external factors were also identified. Despite efforts by school guidance and counselling units to address these challenges, they have not been entirely successful. Notably, students who received direct counselling support reported significant assistance in overcoming their educational hurdles. This underscores the importance of formalized support structures within school guidance and counselling units in providing practical solutions to adolescents' educational challenges, ultimately better preparing them for the future.
The historical events reveal that therapeutic measures for mental illness were practised in Sri Lanka since the 6th century BC. The Indian Prince Vijaya suffered with mental illness. He got married to local princess named Kuweni and was treated with native medicine according to her tribal relatives. This was the most prominent incident in Sri Lankan history. The Western treatment was introduced in the early 19th century AD with arrival of European colonists. Further, to develop the treatment under law, the Lunatic Ordinance of 1873 Act was amended in 1956 as Mental Diseases Act No. 27 by the independent government of Sri Lanka. The mental disorder was not much familiar among Sri Lankans till then. The first mental asylum was established in Hendala, Gampaha District for patients who suffered from mental disorder due to leprosy. There are no records of diseases in Sri Lanka till Europeans landed in. During the British ruling period, two other asylums for mentally ill were established in Borella and Jawatte, Colombo District when the in-patient count went up. This proves that ill treatment and harsh policies of colonists have made locals to suffer from mental disorders in the past (before Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948). The most recognised non-profitable organisation Sumithrayo situated at Horton Place, Colombo, was introduced in 1974 to provide an emotional support to those who are at risk of suicide in Sri Lanka. There are ten Sumithrayo centres across the island with some special volunteer officers. These services are free of charge and function as independent organisations without any barriers. Workshops, awareness programmes, webinars provide emotional support for people who are stressed and strained of life everyday under the motto “There is a help – there is a hope”. Sumithrayo also focuses on supporting those who are going through difficult times in life, assuring confidentiality as well as acceptance with respect and care through their consultations to reduce mental illness. Another goal is to provide emotional support for school children to develop skills and how to deal with everyday stress before they face the society as adults. Due to psychological, social, biological and cultural factors without racial or class distinction, persons can be depressed and feel isolated with own problems. Sumithrayao takes care of them with non-judgemental approaches. Also, they are accepted by listening and befriending.
