Adolescent risk behaviours and family settings in Bulgaria: An evidence-based approach to effective family support policies
et | 30 avr. 2022
Article Category: Original research
Publié en ligne: 30 avr. 2022
Pages: 139 - 150
Reçu: 12 mai 2021
Accepté: 22 juil. 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.34763/jmotherandchild.20212503SI.d-21-00013
Mots clés
© 2021 Elitsa Dimitrova and Tatyana Kotzeva, published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Background
The paper focuses on Bulgarian adolescents’ behaviours that put their health at risk and their relationship to family-related characteristics: structure of family and material status, family support, communication with parents, parental monitoring and school-related parental support. It also discusses intervention programs with a focus on parent support gradient.
Material and methods
The analysis is based on the Bulgarian sample of Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children survey, the 2018 round. Logistic regression models of current cigarette smoking, regular alcohol consumption, sexual debut and current cannabis use are applied. Main national programs on adolescent health and the parental involvement component in them are also discussed.
Results
The statistical analyses reveal significant gender and age differences in Bulgarian adolescents’ health risk behaviours. Girls have significantly higher odds of smoking and are less likely to report an early start of sexual life. Odds of cigarette smoking and regular alcohol consumption increase with age. Children living with one parent have significantly higher odds of smoking, regular alcohol consumption and current cannabis use. Interactions between FAS and family support reveal that students who report low family support, regardless of the material status of the family, have significantly higher odds of health risk behaviours.
Conclusion
The main contribution of the analysis reveals the alleviating effect of family support on socio-economic inequalities between families. An evidence-based approach delineating a preventive potential of family support on Bulgarian adolescents’ health risk behaviours despite the level of family affluence provides solid arguments for increasing national family support programs.