Adolescents Who Report Being Involved in Physical Fights in Mauritius: A Cross-Sectional Study of Socio-Demographic and Behavioral Correlates
Background: violence among young people, including physical fighting, is a crucial global public health concern. There is a scarcity of evidence directed at understanding the prevalence and associated factors for physical fights among adolescents in Mauritius. This study aimed to examine the prevale...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Adolescents |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7051/1/2/12 |
| _version_ | 1797525053542236160 |
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| author | Olumide Abiodun Michael Lowery Wilson Masood Ali Shaikh |
| author_facet | Olumide Abiodun Michael Lowery Wilson Masood Ali Shaikh |
| author_sort | Olumide Abiodun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: violence among young people, including physical fighting, is a crucial global public health concern. There is a scarcity of evidence directed at understanding the prevalence and associated factors for physical fights among adolescents in Mauritius. This study aimed to examine the prevalence physical fighting in schools and the demographic characteristics that are associated with the phenomenon. Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional analysis of nationally representative data from Mauritius with the aim of examining the 12-month prevalence of physical fighting and frequencies of related individual and social-level characteristics. We further measured the association between physical violence and adolescent parameters using binary logistic regression analyses. Results: the participants were predominantly females (53.49%) with a mean age of 14.91 (1.47) years. Within the preceding twelve months, 15.74% of the participants reported being involved in physical fights. Among other factors, the male gender (OR = 2.6, 95% CI (1.87, 3.62)), food deprivation (OR = 2.46, 95% CI (1.41, 4.32)), bullying victimization (OR = 2.81, 95% CI (2.12, 3.73)), and cigarette use (OR = 2.07, 95% CI (1.34, 3.19)) increased the likelihood of physical fighting. The other associated factors were loneliness (OR = 1.65, 95% CI (1.11, 2.43)), physical activity (OR = 1.52, 95% CI (1.09, 2.12)), early sexual debut (OR = 2.15, 95% CI (1.17, 3.95)), and alcohol use (OR = 1.56, 95% CI (1.11, 2.21)). Conclusions: physical violence is frequent among adolescents in Mauritius; however, a comparison with previous findings in similar sub-Saharan countries suggests a reducing trend. Advocates, policymakers, and other critical stakeholders need to consider the relevant demographic and behavioral factors in formulating strategies and designing public health interventions for the prevention and control of physical violence among adolescents. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:06:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7c9dc9b8e99c44068c11f24bdd6ec1ca |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-7051 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:06:21Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Adolescents |
| spelling | doaj.art-7c9dc9b8e99c44068c11f24bdd6ec1ca2023-11-22T06:21:36ZengMDPI AGAdolescents2673-70512021-05-011215115810.3390/adolescents1020012Adolescents Who Report Being Involved in Physical Fights in Mauritius: A Cross-Sectional Study of Socio-Demographic and Behavioral CorrelatesOlumide Abiodun0Michael Lowery Wilson1Masood Ali Shaikh2ICT University, Cameroon Campus, 1 Avenue Dispensaire Messassi, Zoatoupsi, Yaoundé, CameroonICT University, Cameroon Campus, 1 Avenue Dispensaire Messassi, Zoatoupsi, Yaoundé, CameroonICT University, Cameroon Campus, 1 Avenue Dispensaire Messassi, Zoatoupsi, Yaoundé, CameroonBackground: violence among young people, including physical fighting, is a crucial global public health concern. There is a scarcity of evidence directed at understanding the prevalence and associated factors for physical fights among adolescents in Mauritius. This study aimed to examine the prevalence physical fighting in schools and the demographic characteristics that are associated with the phenomenon. Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional analysis of nationally representative data from Mauritius with the aim of examining the 12-month prevalence of physical fighting and frequencies of related individual and social-level characteristics. We further measured the association between physical violence and adolescent parameters using binary logistic regression analyses. Results: the participants were predominantly females (53.49%) with a mean age of 14.91 (1.47) years. Within the preceding twelve months, 15.74% of the participants reported being involved in physical fights. Among other factors, the male gender (OR = 2.6, 95% CI (1.87, 3.62)), food deprivation (OR = 2.46, 95% CI (1.41, 4.32)), bullying victimization (OR = 2.81, 95% CI (2.12, 3.73)), and cigarette use (OR = 2.07, 95% CI (1.34, 3.19)) increased the likelihood of physical fighting. The other associated factors were loneliness (OR = 1.65, 95% CI (1.11, 2.43)), physical activity (OR = 1.52, 95% CI (1.09, 2.12)), early sexual debut (OR = 2.15, 95% CI (1.17, 3.95)), and alcohol use (OR = 1.56, 95% CI (1.11, 2.21)). Conclusions: physical violence is frequent among adolescents in Mauritius; however, a comparison with previous findings in similar sub-Saharan countries suggests a reducing trend. Advocates, policymakers, and other critical stakeholders need to consider the relevant demographic and behavioral factors in formulating strategies and designing public health interventions for the prevention and control of physical violence among adolescents.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7051/1/2/12adolescentsviolenceepidemiologyglobal healthmental healthbehavioral health |
| spellingShingle | Olumide Abiodun Michael Lowery Wilson Masood Ali Shaikh Adolescents Who Report Being Involved in Physical Fights in Mauritius: A Cross-Sectional Study of Socio-Demographic and Behavioral Correlates Adolescents adolescents violence epidemiology global health mental health behavioral health |
| title | Adolescents Who Report Being Involved in Physical Fights in Mauritius: A Cross-Sectional Study of Socio-Demographic and Behavioral Correlates |
| title_full | Adolescents Who Report Being Involved in Physical Fights in Mauritius: A Cross-Sectional Study of Socio-Demographic and Behavioral Correlates |
| title_fullStr | Adolescents Who Report Being Involved in Physical Fights in Mauritius: A Cross-Sectional Study of Socio-Demographic and Behavioral Correlates |
| title_full_unstemmed | Adolescents Who Report Being Involved in Physical Fights in Mauritius: A Cross-Sectional Study of Socio-Demographic and Behavioral Correlates |
| title_short | Adolescents Who Report Being Involved in Physical Fights in Mauritius: A Cross-Sectional Study of Socio-Demographic and Behavioral Correlates |
| title_sort | adolescents who report being involved in physical fights in mauritius a cross sectional study of socio demographic and behavioral correlates |
| topic | adolescents violence epidemiology global health mental health behavioral health |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7051/1/2/12 |
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