Correlates of Lifetime Physical Abuse Among Schoolchildren Aged 15 Years in Post-communist Albania
Aim: Our aim was to assess the prevalence and correlates of lifetime physical abuse among schoolchildren in Albania, a post-communist country in South Eastern Europe which is currently undergoing a rapid socioeconomic transition.Methods: The third wave of Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBS...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.607493/full |
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| author | Gentiana Qirjako Qamil Dika Qamil Dika Iris Mone Xheladin Draçini Loreta Kuneshka Enver Roshi Genc Burazeri Genc Burazeri |
| author_facet | Gentiana Qirjako Qamil Dika Qamil Dika Iris Mone Xheladin Draçini Loreta Kuneshka Enver Roshi Genc Burazeri Genc Burazeri |
| author_sort | Gentiana Qirjako |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aim: Our aim was to assess the prevalence and correlates of lifetime physical abuse among schoolchildren in Albania, a post-communist country in South Eastern Europe which is currently undergoing a rapid socioeconomic transition.Methods: The third wave of Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) in Albania was conducted in 2017–18 including a nationwide representative sample of 1,708 schoolchildren aged 15 years (54% girls; response rate: 95%). Children were asked to report on lifetime physical abuse and a wide range of socio-demographic factors, lifestyle factors and health status characteristics. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the independent association of lifetime physical abuse with covariates.Results: Overall, the prevalence of lifetime physical abuse was about 32% (30% in boys vs. 32% in girls). In multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models, independent positive correlates of lifetime physical abuse among Albanian schoolchildren included lifetime smoking (OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.1–2.2), lifetime alcohol consumption (OR = 1.6, 95%CI = 1.2–2.1), irritability (OR[dailyvs.rarely/never] = 2.0, 95%CI = 1.3–3.0), and especially lifetime witnessed domestic violence (OR = 4.2, 95%CI = 2.2–7.9). Conversely, a higher score on life satisfaction was inversely related to lifetime physical abuse (P < 0.01).Conclusion: Our study provides novel evidence about the magnitude and selected independent correlates of lifetime physical abuse among schoolchildren in Albania, a country still embedded in an everlasting transition which is associated with tremendous changes in family structure, community links and societal norms and values. Irrespective of a wide range of sociodemographic factors and health characteristics, lifetime smoking, alcohol consumption, irritability, a lower score on life satisfaction and, particularly, witnessed domestic violence were strong and significant correlates of lifetime physical abuse among Albanian schoolchildren aged 15 years. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T01:33:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c4705444e99d4a3daf643b8fbdfcffdc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T01:33:11Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-c4705444e99d4a3daf643b8fbdfcffdc2022-12-21T19:58:04ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652021-07-01910.3389/fpubh.2021.607493607493Correlates of Lifetime Physical Abuse Among Schoolchildren Aged 15 Years in Post-communist AlbaniaGentiana Qirjako0Qamil Dika1Qamil Dika2Iris Mone3Xheladin Draçini4Loreta Kuneshka5Enver Roshi6Genc Burazeri7Genc Burazeri8Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Tirana, AlbaniaFaculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Tirana, AlbaniaDepartment of Sports Medicine, University of Sports, Tirana, AlbaniaFaculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Tirana, AlbaniaFaculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Tirana, AlbaniaFaculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Tirana, AlbaniaFaculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Tirana, AlbaniaFaculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Tirana, AlbaniaDepartment of International Health, School CAPHRI (Care and Public Health Research Institute), Maastricht University, Maastricht, NetherlandsAim: Our aim was to assess the prevalence and correlates of lifetime physical abuse among schoolchildren in Albania, a post-communist country in South Eastern Europe which is currently undergoing a rapid socioeconomic transition.Methods: The third wave of Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) in Albania was conducted in 2017–18 including a nationwide representative sample of 1,708 schoolchildren aged 15 years (54% girls; response rate: 95%). Children were asked to report on lifetime physical abuse and a wide range of socio-demographic factors, lifestyle factors and health status characteristics. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the independent association of lifetime physical abuse with covariates.Results: Overall, the prevalence of lifetime physical abuse was about 32% (30% in boys vs. 32% in girls). In multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models, independent positive correlates of lifetime physical abuse among Albanian schoolchildren included lifetime smoking (OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.1–2.2), lifetime alcohol consumption (OR = 1.6, 95%CI = 1.2–2.1), irritability (OR[dailyvs.rarely/never] = 2.0, 95%CI = 1.3–3.0), and especially lifetime witnessed domestic violence (OR = 4.2, 95%CI = 2.2–7.9). Conversely, a higher score on life satisfaction was inversely related to lifetime physical abuse (P < 0.01).Conclusion: Our study provides novel evidence about the magnitude and selected independent correlates of lifetime physical abuse among schoolchildren in Albania, a country still embedded in an everlasting transition which is associated with tremendous changes in family structure, community links and societal norms and values. Irrespective of a wide range of sociodemographic factors and health characteristics, lifetime smoking, alcohol consumption, irritability, a lower score on life satisfaction and, particularly, witnessed domestic violence were strong and significant correlates of lifetime physical abuse among Albanian schoolchildren aged 15 years.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.607493/fullAlbaniachild abusecorrelatesHBSClifetime physical abuseschoolchildren |
| spellingShingle | Gentiana Qirjako Qamil Dika Qamil Dika Iris Mone Xheladin Draçini Loreta Kuneshka Enver Roshi Genc Burazeri Genc Burazeri Correlates of Lifetime Physical Abuse Among Schoolchildren Aged 15 Years in Post-communist Albania Frontiers in Public Health Albania child abuse correlates HBSC lifetime physical abuse schoolchildren |
| title | Correlates of Lifetime Physical Abuse Among Schoolchildren Aged 15 Years in Post-communist Albania |
| title_full | Correlates of Lifetime Physical Abuse Among Schoolchildren Aged 15 Years in Post-communist Albania |
| title_fullStr | Correlates of Lifetime Physical Abuse Among Schoolchildren Aged 15 Years in Post-communist Albania |
| title_full_unstemmed | Correlates of Lifetime Physical Abuse Among Schoolchildren Aged 15 Years in Post-communist Albania |
| title_short | Correlates of Lifetime Physical Abuse Among Schoolchildren Aged 15 Years in Post-communist Albania |
| title_sort | correlates of lifetime physical abuse among schoolchildren aged 15 years in post communist albania |
| topic | Albania child abuse correlates HBSC lifetime physical abuse schoolchildren |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.607493/full |
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