Stress symptoms and associated factors among adolescents in Dhaka, Bangladesh: findings from a cross-sectional study

Afifa Anjum; Sahadat Hossain; M Tasdik Hasan; Enryka Christopher; Md Elias Uddin; Md Tajuddin Sikder

doi:10.1186/s12888-022-04340-0

Stress symptoms and associated factors among adolescents in Dhaka, Bangladesh: findings from a cross-sectional study

BMC Psychiatry. 2022 Dec 19;22(1):807. doi: 10.1186/s12888-022-04340-0.

Authors

Afifa Anjum^{1

2}, Sahadat Hossain^{3

4}, M Tasdik Hasan^{5

6

7}, Enryka Christopher⁸, Md Elias Uddin⁹, Md Tajuddin Sikder¹⁰

Affiliations

¹ Department of Public Health and Informatics, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, 1342, Bangladesh. afifaanjum21@gmail.com.
² Department of Public Health and Informatics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Shahbag, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh. afifaanjum21@gmail.com.
³ Department of Public Health and Informatics, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, 1342, Bangladesh.
⁴ Department of Behavioural Science and Health, Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London (UCL), London, England.
⁵ Action Lab, Department of Human Centred Computing, Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
⁶ Department of Public Health, State University of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
⁷ Department of Primary Care and Mental Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
⁸ Trauma and Community Resilience Center, Boston Children's Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.
⁹ Department of English, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh.
¹⁰ Department of Public Health and Informatics, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, 1342, Bangladesh. sikder@juniv.edu.

Abstract

Background: Stress affects adolescents' daily lives by disrupting their working capacity and begets comorbidity. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of stress symptoms and the factors associated with these symptoms among secondary school-going adolescents in Bangladesh.

Methods: A cross-sectional study using two-stage cluster sampling was conducted. A self-administered questionnaire was given to 2355 adolescents from nine secondary schools in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Of the respondents, 2313 completed the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Sociodemographic information, self-reported body image, a modified Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (LTEQ), and the WHO Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) were used to determine the sociodemographic and lifestyle factors associated with stress symptoms among adolescents.

Results: Findings suggest that about 65% of adolescents experienced moderate stress symptoms, and about 9% experienced high-stress symptoms. Females (58.7%) suffered more from stress compared to males (41.3%). Age, grade, and residential setting were significantly associated with stress. Logistic regression estimates show that level of physical activity (AOR: 1.52; 95% CI:1.26-1.84), sleep dissatisfaction (AOR: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.07-1.65), and perception of self as overweight/obese (AOR: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.13-1.89) were significantly associated with stress symptoms among adolescents.

Conclusions: Stress symptoms are highly prevalent among secondary school adolescents in Bangladesh. Further exploratory investigations are needed on possible intervention strategies to reduce the burden of stress among adolescents.

Keywords: Adolescents; Bangladesh; Lifestyle; Physical activity; Screens; Sleep; Social media; Stress.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Bangladesh / epidemiology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Exercise*
Female
Humans
Male
Obesity* / epidemiology
Overweight
Prevalence