THE COOP ADOLESCENT CHART APPLIED IN HATAY – TURKEY, AND HEALTH CONDITION OF THE ADOLESCENTS WITH RESPECT TO THEIR SOCIO-ECONOMICAL STATUSES1

Abstract

Backgrounds: Primarily, actions to be taken for adolescents are providing secure and supportive environments, providing information regarding health, providing counseling and health services in order to aid their talent development. Purpose: To determine the health condition of adolescents attending to Primary Schools between 11-15 years old registered in Hatay, Turkey. Methods: There are 38 schools and 14.233 adolescents studying in these schools in Hatay Centrum. Of the 698 adolescents who were selected via stratified sampling, 313 of them were low level, 271 of them were medium level and 114 of them were high level respectively. In data collection, the socio-demographic characteristics of adolescents and COOP Adolescent chart (Dartmouth CO-OP Project) were used under supervision. Turkish adaptation of the COOP Adolescent Chart, as a part of the research was performed. Height and weight of the adolescents were measured in order to compute BMI (body-mass index). Trained briefly, three interviewers were used to assist implementation phase of the study. Results: It was detected that adolescents frequently suffer headache (37.7%). The rate the adolescents were asked to have medication longer than 3 days a week (78.5%) and that they were given bed rest for one day or more a week (73.1%) were found to be high. Also found was that, adolescents wanted to receive information about AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases and substance abuse. Counselors or psychologists were of the two advisors adolescents chose to go most, and difference of schools was found to be significant (p<0.001). Conclusion: AIDS and other diseases about which information is sought by adolescents, and which may be transmitted sexually, and about the substance abuse subjects, information was given to the Hatay Provincial Directorate of Ministry of National Education and education planning was suggested.