Anxiety and its associated factors among high school adolescents in a rural area of Bangladesh.

Background

Adolescence is marked by profound developmental changes in an individual with an increased risk of developing various mental health illnesses. Previous studies have explored anxiety and its correlates among urban adolescents in Bangladesh. This study aimed to explore the magnitude of anxiety and its associated factors among adolescents attending school in rural areas of the country.Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescents (aged 10 to 19 years, mean = 15.9 years, SD = 1.12 years; male = 61.15%) attending high schools in a Southern district of Bangladesh between August and December 2022. A pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection via face-to-face interviews. A total of 260 adolescents were included.

Results

Overall, participants suffered from minimal (38.08%), mild (39.62%), moderate (17.69%), and severe (4.62%) anxiety symptoms. Female sex (Adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR]: 4.94, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.75 - 13.94), less than six hours sleep duration (aOR: 3.81, 95% CI: 1.49 - 9.74), unsatisfactory sleep quality (aOR: 3.25, 95% CI: 1.20 - 8.85), more than two hours of daily usage of social media (aOR: 3.53; 95% CI: 1.15 - 10.85), and academic performance being not good (aOR: 3.30; 95%CI: 1.07 - 10.17) were independent determinants of moderate-to-severe anxiety symptoms.

Conclusion

This study revealed crucial determinants of anxiety among adolescents. Policymakers should address these factors to prevent the development of anxiety and support the healthy mental growth of teens in the country.