Prevalence of and factors associated with anxiety among school going adolescents analysis from 59 countries.

BACKGROUND

Adolescence is a critical period marked by significant emotional and psychological changes, often accompanied by increased vulnerability to anxiety. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of anxiety and its potential factors among school-going adolescents across 59 countries.

METHODS

We analyzed data from a comprehensive survey, the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS), involving 179,937 adolescents aged 1117 from 59 countries. Anxiety was measured based on self-reported experiences. Logistic regression analyses were employed to explore the association between anxiety while adjusting for different potential confounders.

RESULTS

The prevalence of anxiety is greater in the eastern Mediterranean region, 14.61 % (95 % CI: 14.59 14.63), while the lowest prevalence is found in the Southeast Asian region, 3.78 % (95 % CI: 3.72 3.83). The second highest prevalence was found in the African region, which is almost four-fold higher than that of the lowest southeast Asian region, 11.43 % (95 % CI: 11.41 11.46). The logistic regression analysis reveals that age (especially older adolescents), gender (females), food insecurity, experiences of bullying, lack of close friends, parental understanding, sedentary behavior, and suicidal thoughts or actions are significant factors that contribute to anxiety among adolescents.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights by examining patterns across diverse cultural and economic settings, this research aims to inform targeted interventions and policy strategies that promote adolescent mental health worldwide.