# Prevalence and factors associated with poor self-assessed health in Brazilian adolescents: National School Health Survey 2019

## TL;DR

This study examines the prevalence and factors linked to poor self-rated health among Brazilian adolescents aged 13-17 using national survey data.

## Contribution

The paper identifies sociodemographic, behavioral, and mental health factors associated with poor self-rated health in Brazilian adolescents.

## Key findings

- Adolescents who perceive themselves as overweight or underweight are more likely to report poor health.
- Mental health issues like feeling sad or that life is not worth living are strongly associated with poor self-rated health.
- Engaging in physical activity and eating breakfast are linked to better self-rated health.

## Abstract

To estimate the prevalence and factors associated with poor self-assessed health among Brazilian school-aged adolescents aged 13 to 17 years.

Cross-sectional study using data from the 2019 National School Health Survey (PeNSE). Crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (APR) were estimated by logistic regression. Analyses were performed in Stata 16.

Factors associated with poor self-rated health were: being male (APR 0.75; 95%CI 0.72-0.79); aged 16-17 years (APR 1.13; 95%CI 1.08-1.18); Black (APR 1.08; 95%CI 1.01-1.14), Brown (APR 1.10; 95%CI 1.05-1.16), or other (APR 1.13; 95%CI 1.04-1.22); eating breakfast (APR 0.84; 95%CI 0.80-0.87); consumed alcoholic (APR 1.12; 95%CI 1.07-1.18); perceiving oneself as overweight (APR 1.34; 95%CI 1.27-1.42) or underweight (APR 1.12; 95%CI 1.06-1.18); engaging in >300 minutes of physical activity per week (APR 0.85; 95%CI 0.80-0.89); consuming fruits (APR 0.86; 95%CI 0.81-0.92); having one or more friends (APR 0.80; 95%CI 0.74-0.86); having ever sought health services (APR 0.92; 95%CI 0.88-0.96); missing school due to health problems for 1-3 days (APR 1.31; 95%CI 1.24-1.39) or ≥4 days (APR 1.64; 95%CI 1.54-1.74); feeling worried (APR 1.09; 95%CI 1.02-1.15), sad (APR 1.33; 95%CI 1.24-1.41), that no one cares about them (APR 1.22; 95%CI 1.16-1.29), irritated (APR 1.19; 95%CI 1.10-1.25), or that life is not worth living (APR 1.38; 95%CI 1.32-1.45).

Sociodemographic, behavioral, and mental health factors were associated with poor self-rated health among Brazilian adolescents.

Estimar a prevalência e os fatores associados à autoavaliação ruim do estado de saúde em escolares brasileiros de 13 a 17 anos.

Estudo transversal com dados da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde do Escolar 2019. Foram calculadas as prevalências e razões de prevalências (brutas e ajustadas) por regressão logística, considerando variáveis associadas à autoavaliação ruim de saúde entre adolescentes brasileiros. As análises foram realizadas no Stata, versão 16.

As características associadas à autoavaliação de saúde ruim foram: ser do sexo masculino (RPa 0,75; IC95% 0,72-0,79); ter 16 ou 17 anos (RPa 1,13; IC95% 1,08-1,18); de raça/cor preta (RPa 1,08; IC95% 1,01-1,14), parda (RPa 1,10; IC95% 1,05-1,16) e outras (RPa 1,13; IC95% 1,04-1,22); tomar café da manhã (RPa 0,84; IC95% 0,80-0,87); já ter experimentado bebidas alcoólicas (RPa 1,12; IC95% 1,07-1,18); perceber-se gordo (RPa 1,34; IC95% 1,27-1,42) ou magro (RPa 1,12; IC95% 1,06-1,18); praticar atividade física (RPa 0,85; IC95% 0,80-0,89), consumir frutas (RPa 0,86; IC95% 0,81-0,92); ter 1 ou mais amigos (RPa 0,80; IC95% 0,74-0,86); já ter procurado algum serviço de saúde (RPa 0,92; IC95% 0,88-0,96); faltar à aula por motivos de saúde em 1 a 3 dias (RPa 1,31; IC95% 1,24-1,39) ou 4 ou mais dias (RPa 1,64; IC95% 1,54-1,74); sentir-se preocupado(a) (RPa 1,09; IC95% 1,02-1,15), triste (RPa 1,33; IC95% 1,24-1,41), que ninguém se preocupa consigo (RPa 1,22; IC95% 1,16-1,29), irritado(a) (RPa 1,79; IC95% 1,10-1,25) e que a vida não vale a pena ser vivida (RPa 1,38; IC95% 1,32-1,45).

Fatores sociodemográficos, comportamentais e de saúde mental associaram-se ao desfecho.