Health issues and needs among adolescents in Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study.

Asari AA et al. · ncbi_pmc

NCBI PubMed Central · Papers

Conceptio Open Archive

Analyze & explore related research in Conceptio

Connect this record directly into your research workflow or AI agent. Explore citations across open repositories, query full text, and export structured proof bundles.

Explore in Search →Connect via MCP / API ↗

Health issues and needs among adolescents in Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study - PMC Skip to main content An official website of the United States government Here's how you know Here's how you know Search Log in Primary site navigation Search Log in Search PMC Full-Text Archive Search in PMC Journal List User Guide As a library, NLM provides access to scientific literature. Inclusion in an NLM database does not imply endorsement of, or agreement with, the contents by NLM or the National Institutes of Health. Learn more: PMC Disclaimer | PMC Copyright Notice PLOS Glob Public Health . 2026 Jun 1;6(6):e0006496. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0006496 Health issues and needs among adolescents in Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study Adamu Amanu Asari 1, 2, * , Ameyu Godesso 2 , Zewdie Birhanu 1 Editor: Graeme Hoddinott 3 Author information Article notes Copyright and License information 1 Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Faculty of Public Health, Jimma University, Oromia, Ethiopia 2 Department of Sociology, College of Social Sciences, Jimma University, Oromia, Ethiopia 3 University of Sydney, AUSTRALIA ✉ * E-mail: adamuamanu1000@gmail.com , adamu.amanu@ju.edu.et The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. Roles Adamu Amanu Asari : Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Software, Validation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing Ameyu Godesso : Conceptualization, Methodology, Project administration, Supervision, Writing – review & editing Zewdie Birhanu : Conceptualization, Methodology, Project administration, Supervision, Writing – review & editing Graeme Hoddinott : Editor Received 2025 Dec 1; Accepted 2026 Apr 30; Collection date 2026. © 2026 Asari et al This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. PMC Copyright notice PMCID: PMC13225383 PMID: 42224239 Abstract Adolescence, which is a critical foundation for lifelong health, comes with distinct health challenges and needs. Understanding these is crucial for timely and effective measures. This study therefore examines adolescent health issues and needs and identifies unmet health information and service needs, including differences by sex, grade level, and school type, to inform tailored and effective interventions. The study employed a cross-sectional design involving school adolescents. Respondents were randomly selected after stratification by sex at grade level. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire that was informed by qualitative findings. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, and Pearson’s chi-square tests evaluated differences by sex, grade level, and school type, in SPSS 27.0. Of the 722 adolescents participated in this study, 27.6% reported recent health problems related to mental health, reproductive health, and other issues. Respondents identified risky sexual behaviors, substance use, mental health issues, and social media addiction as major health concerns among adolescents, with sex-based differences in perceived priorities. About 73% of the respondents reported seeking health information and services for various reasons, with females were more likely to do so than males (p = 0.025). They reported often consulting parents, friends, the Internet, and health professionals, in that order, while seeking health information, with variations by school type and grade level. However, they trusted health professionals most, followed by the Internet, television/radio, and family. Only 32.7% of the respondents reported that they could access health service when needed. Adolescents from private schools were significantly more likely than those from public schools to do so (p < 0.001). Overall, the study shows that adolescent health challenges and needs are multifaceted, demanding tailored interventions, including effective multichannel health communication, promotion of health literacy, strong parental and community involvement, and accessible adolescent-friendly health services. Background Adolescents are often presumed to be a healthy group, as they are in a relatively healthy phase of life [ 1 – 3 ]. However, adolescence is a critical developmental period characterized by rapid physical, cognitive, and psychosocial changes that create both opportunities for positive health development and vulnerabilities, often expressed through risk-taking and experimentation [ 4 , 5 ]. This age group often face a range of health-related challenges, including risky sexual behaviors and reproductive health issues, substance use, mental health problems, injuries, school and interpersonal difficulties, unhealthy diets, and others [ 6 – 8 ]. Behaviors and habits established during adolescence have long lasting consequences [ 1 , 8 , 9 ]. For instance, substance use, risky sexual behaviors, physical inactivity, and other behavioral problems can seriously disrupt adolescent health and development [ 1 , 2 , 7 ]. Moreover, many serious diseases, particularly chronic conditions and premature mortality in adulthood have their roots in behaviors and lifestyles established during adolescence [ 9 – 11 ]. Therefore, adolescence is a foundational period for lifelong health and wellbeing [ 7 , 12 ] and represents a critical window for disease prevention and health promotion initiatives [ 1 , 7 , 13 ]. It is an important stage for providing timely and appropriate support for healthy lifestyles, as well as interventions for those engaging in unhealthy behaviors [ 13 , 14 ]. Thus, emphasizing adolescent health issues and ensuring that this age group has sufficient and continuous access to accurate health information and services is a crucial public health concern, especially in developing countries with predominantly young population such as Ethiopia [ 15 ]. Doing so helps to have healthy adolescents, raise healthier families and population in the future, reduce the burden of health problems, lower future healthcare costs, and enhance overall human capital and societal development [ 7 , 12 , 16 ]. Conversely, neglecting adolescent health issues can negatively affect adolescents’ present and future wellbeing and the quality of life of future generations [ 9 , 13 , 17 ]. Adolescents require health information and services across a wide range of areas, including mental health, sexual and reproductive health, nutrition, self-care, addiction issues, and preventive strategies [ 18 , 19 ]. However, many adolescents, particularly in developing countries, do not have access to adequate, adolescent-friendly health information and services tailored to their specific needs [ 19 – 21 ]. Ethiopia exemplifies this challenge [ 22 – 24 ], although the National Adolescent and Youth Health Strategy recognizes adolescents’ health issues, including reproductive health, nutrition, substance use, mental health, and others, as areas requiring considerations [ 15 ]. Due to this problem and as they are still in the process of developing health knowledge and decision-making skills and have limited past experiences, adolescents often depend on unreliable sources and services [ 25 – 28 ]. They may rely on information from friends, siblings, and social media [ 28 – 30 ], which can expose them to inaccuracies and negatively affect their health and well-being [ 26 , 31 ]. Therefore, health planners and providers need to understand adolescents’ health-related challenges, including emerging risks and specific needs [ 2 , 6 , 7 , 32 ], to ensure access to appropriate and timely services in order to support healthy development in this age group [ 19 , 33 ]. Accordingly, it is essential to examine adolescents’ health issues, including their health information and service needs, information-seeking behaviors, preferred sources, types of information needed, and access to services, to inform targeted interventions, with effective resource utilizations [ 19 , 20 , 28 , 33 ], especially in developing countries like Ethiopia. However, these issues remain under-researched in Ethiopia. Therefore, as part of a larger research project on adolescent health literacy and needs in Ethiopia [ 16 , 34 , 35 ], this study focuses on adolescents’ health issues and needs. Specifically, it (i) assesses adolescents’ self-perceived health status, recent health problems, treatments used, and access to health services, and (ii) examines their health information-seeking behaviors, including types of information sought, usually consulted and trusted sources, and their perceived major health topics or concerns warranting attention, with the aim of identifying unmet health information and service needs, including differences by sex, grade level, and school type, in order to inform tailored and effective interventions. Methods Study design and participants The study employed a cross-sectional design involving school adolescents in Jimma city, home to socio-demographically diverse population in Oromia regional state, Ethiopia. As previously reported in [ 18 , 35 ], there were sixteen high schools in the study area at the time of the study. Of these, eight schools with socio-demographically diverse and representative adolescent populations were included in this study. Among 737 adolescents selected using simple random sampling after stratification by sex at grade level across all the selected schools, 722 participated. This sample size was increased from the initially determined 464 (using Cochran’s formula with a finite population correction, assuming a 95% confidence level, a ± 5% precision level, and a 0.5 population proportion, along with a 25% non-response rate [ 36 – 38 ]) to ensure representation across school types and the accuracy of the results [ 35 , 39 , 40 ]. Data collection and analysis Data collection for this survey was carried out using a questionnaire developed on the basis of qualitative findings [ 16 ] and a review of relevant literature, in alignment with the study’s objectives. The questionnaire comprised multiple choice questions, most allowing multiple responses. This questionnaire begins with items on respondents’ sociodemographic characteristics, including sex, age, grade level, school type, and others. It then follows with questions on self-perceived overall health status, recent health experience (and types), treatments used for management or recovery, and access to health services. Finally, it focuses on the health topics the target groups might have been exposed to or have learned so far (including the sources of such topics or information), their health information-seeking behaviors (encompassing reasons, specific topics sought, sources they usually turn to, and trusted sources), and their perceived major health topics or concerns that warrant attention (See Supporting Information, S1 File ). Prior to the actual data collection, the questionnaire was pretested to ensure the clarity, content quality, cognitive appropriateness, comprehensibility, and overall usability of the items or questions [ 41 ]. The questionnaire was administered in paper format in designated spaces, either within classrooms or nearby locations, to the recruited, consenting, and eligible adolescents (aged 19 years or younger). Data collection schedules were arranged with each school’s director. Data were collected between January 8 and February 27, 2024. The study was conducted in Afaan Oromo and Amharic languages based on the participants’ preferences. The collected data were entered into Epidata 3.1 software and cleaned, and then transferred to the statistical package SPSS 27.0 to perform the analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, and Pearson’s chi-square tests were used to evaluate differences based on sex, grade level, and school type, and in cases where expected frequencies were less than five, Fisher-Freeman-Halton Exact Test was also applied with chi-square test to ensure accuracy of the results, with statistical significance of p < 0.05. Ethics approval and informed consent The study was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Institute of Health at Jimma University (Ref. No. JUIH/IRB/321/23), and it adhered to the ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki [ 42 ]. Having obtained ethical clearance from the IRB, the researcher (the first author) made an official request to each school director, with a support letter from the Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Faculty of Public Health, Jimma University, for the necessary facilitation and smooth conduct of the study. Participation in the study was fully voluntary. Informed consent was obtained from participants of age 18 and above after explaining the purpose and confidentiality of the study, and for those aged less than 18 years, informed consent was obtained from their parents or guardians before getting assent from this age group. Results Sociodemographic characteristics In total, seven hundred twenty-two adolescents aged 14–19 participated in this study (mean age = 16.75, SD = 1.284, and mode = 16). As previously reported [ 18 , 35 ], more than half (56.40%) of the respondents were female. Most respondents (78.9%) were from urban background, and 58.2% attended public schools. In terms of grade level, 53.6% were in grades 9–10, while the remaining 46.4% were in grades 11–12. Concerning parents’ educational levels, 54.8% of fathers had low education and 45.2% had high education. While 59.8% of mothers had low education and 40.2% had high education. Thus, overall, fathers tend to have slightly higher levels of education than mothers. Regarding household average monthly income, 48.9%, 25.9%, and 25.2% reported it as low, middle, and high income, respectively. Self-perceived health status, recent health problems, treatments used, and access to health services Self-perceived overall health status ranged from good to excellent for about 89.5% of the respondents. However, participants who reported sometimes, often, or everyday experiencing health problems recently, accounted for about 27.6% of the total sample (See Table 1 ). Among those who reported experiencing health problems recently, 50.4% reported mental health-related problems; 11.9% reproductive health-related problems; 18.9% sleep difficulty, and 18.5% other health problems (such as gastric/stomach problem, malaria, typhoid, toothache, eyes problem, lack of appetite, and asthma/sinus). Chi-square test showed that female respondents were more likely than male respondents to report experiencing mental health problems (p = 0.008). Table 1. Self-perceived health status, recent health problems, treatments used, and access to health services by sex, grade level, and school type. Questions Responses Sex Grade level School type Total n (%) Male n (%) Female n (%) P-value 9-10 n (%) 11-12 n (%) P-value Public n (%) Private n (%) P-value Self- perceived health status Excellent 139 (44.10%) 180 (44.20%) 0.788 0.795 F 177 (45.70%) 142 (42.40%) 0.387 0.395 F 177 (42.10%) 142 (47.00%) 0.122 0.119 F 319 (44.20%) Very good 107 (34.00%) 124 (30.50%) 120 (31.00%) 111 (33.10%) 144 (34.30%) 87 (28.80%) 231 (32.00%) Good 36 (11.40%) 60 (14.70%) 52 (13.40%) 44 (13.10%) 62 (14.80%) 34 (11.30%) 96 (13.30%) Fair 24 (7.60%) 30 (7.40%) 23 (5.90%) 31 (9.30%) 27 (6.40%) 27 (8.90%) 54 (7.50%) Poor 7 (2.20%) 9 (2.20%) 11 (2.80%) 5 (1.50%) 6 (1.40%) 10 (3.30%) 16 (2.20%) Very poor 2 (0.60%) 4 (1.00%) 4 (1.00%) 2 (0.60%) 4 (1.00%) 2 (0.70%) 6 (0.80%) Experiencing health problem recently Never 159 (50.50%) 189 (46.40%) 0.093 0.093 F 194 (50.10%) 154 (46.00%) 0.639 0.632 F 210 (50.00%) 138 (45.70%) 0.351 0.370 F 348 (48.20%) Rarely 85 (27.00%) 90 (22.10%) 86 (22.20%) 89 (26.60%) 101 (24.00%) 74 (24.50%) 175 (24.20%) Sometimes 59 (18.70%) 104 (25.60%) 89 (23.00%) 74 (22.10%) 92 (21.90%) 71 (23.50%) 163 (22.60%) Often 11 (3.50%) 20 (4.90%) 15 (3.90%) 16 (4.80%) 16 (3.80%) 15 (5.00%) 31 (4.30%) Everyday 1 (0.30%) 4 (1.00%) 3 (0.80%) 2 (0.60%) 1 (0.20%) 4 (1.30%) 5 (0.70%) Health problem type Mental health related 66 (42.30%) 123 (56.20%) 0.008 94 (48.70%) 95 (52.20%) 0.499 98 (46.40%) 91 (55.50%) 0.082 189 (50.40%) Reproductive health related 15 (9.60%) 30 (13.60%) 0.243 29 (15.00%) 16 (8.70%) 0.058 26 (12.20%) 19 (11.60%) 0.854 45 (11.90%) Sleep difficulty 36 (23.10%) 35 (16.00%) 0.084 34 (17.60%) 37 (20.30%) 0.503 47 (22.30%) 24 (14.60%) 0.061 71 (18.90%) Other 69 (18.50%) Treatments used Went to a health facility 28 (17.9%) 55 (25.2%) 0.095 44 (22.8%) 39 (21.5%) 0.771 42 (20.0%) 41 (25.0%) 0.248 83 (22.20%) Bought medications from a pharmacy 13 (8.3%) 16 (7.3%) 0.723 12 (6.2%) 17 (9.4%) 0.251 18 (8.6%) 11 (6.7%) 0.504 29 (7.80%) Used traditional medications 9 (5.8%) 14 (6.4%) 0.796 14 (7.3%) 9 (5.0%) 0.359 16 (7.6%) 7 (4.3%) 0.181 23 (6.10%) Used religious healing practices 33 (21.2%) 65 (29.8%) 0.060 57 (29.5%) 41 (22.7%) 0.130 57 (27.1%) 41 (25.0%) 0.640 98 (26.20%) Other 141 (37.7%) Access to health services Yes, when needed 90 (28.60%) 146 (35.90%) 0.098 143 (37.00%) 93 (27.80%) 0.031 110 (26.20%) 126 (41.70%) < 0.001 236 (32.70%) Yes, to some extent 142 (45.10%) 158 (38.80%) 152 (39.30%) 148 (44.20%) 191 (45.50%) 109 (36.10%) 300 (41.60%) No 83 (26.30%) 103 (25.30%) 92 (23.80%) 94 (28.10%) 119 (28.30%) 67 (22.20%) 186 (25.80%) Open in a new tab F indicates Fisher-Freeman-Halton Exact Test. To get treatment and manage the health problems they encountered recently, 22.2% visited health facility (hospital, clinic, or health center); 7.8% purchased medications from a pharmacy (without a prescription); 6.1% used traditional medications; 26.2% used religious healing practices (including prayers and reading holy books privately); and 37.7% others (such as exercise, lying down and rest, and drinking alcohol to forget or avoid it). Regarding access to health services, 32.7%, 41.6%, and 25.8% of the respondents reported that they could access service when needed, could access it to some extent, and could not access it, respectively. Chi-square test showed a significant association between school type and access to health services, with a higher proportion of respondents from private schools reporting access when needed compared to respondents from public schools (p < 0.001). Health topics learned, information-seeking behaviors, and trusted sources Regarding health topics the target group have been exposed to or have learned so far, 89.2%, 69.1%, 41.8%, 39.5%, and 36.8%, reported learning about hygiene and sanitation, sexual and reproductive health-related matters, the health benefits of physical activity, nutrition, and smoking issues, respectively. Other topics learned included alcohol use issues (34.3%), mental health (31.5%), and oral health (22.1%). There were also respondents who reported receiving information on COVID-19, road traffic issues, primary healthcare, eye care, and the health of internal organs such as the lung, kidney, and heart. Respondents from private schools were more likely than those from public schools to report obtaining information on nutrition (p < 0.001), smoking issues (p < 0.001), oral health (p = 0.001), alcohol use issues (p = 0.002), and the health benefits of physical activity (p = 0.025). As Table 2 shows, their sources of such information included school (96.40%), television/radio (43.90%), the Internet (37.30%), family (35.90%), health professionals (29.50%), religious bodies (27.80%), friends/peers (24.90%), and health clubs (12.80%). In addition, there were also respondents who reported sport rooms or trainers as their sources of health information. More respondents in grades 9–10 than those in grades 11–12 reported family (p = 0.001) and health clubs (p = 0.031) as their sources of such information. Additionally, more respondents from private schools than those from public schools reported family (p < 0.001), health professionals (p = 0.021), the Internet (p < 0.001), and health clubs (p < 0.001) as their sources of such information. Table 2. Health topics learned and sources by sex, grade level, and school type. Questions Responses Sex Grade level School type Total n (%) Male n (%) Female n (%) P-value 9-10 n (%) 11-12 n (%) P-value Public n (%) Private n (%) P-value Which health information or topic have you got or learned about? Sexual and reproductive health 215 (68.30%) 284 (69.80%) 0.660 272 (70.30%) 227 (67.80%) 0.464 285 (67.90%) 214 (70.90%) 0.389 499 (69.10%) Hygiene and sanitation 266 (84.40%) 378 (92.90%) <0.001 338 (87.30%) 306 (91.30%) 0.084 372 (88.60%) 272 (90.10%) 0.523 644 (89.20%) Mental health 97 (30.90%) 130 (31.90%) 0.764 114 (29.50%) 113 (33.80%) 0.207 120 (28.60%) 107 (35.40%) 0.053 227 (31.50%) Nutrition 122 (38.70%) 163 (40.00%) 0.719 141 (36.40%) 144 (43.00%) 0.073 139 (33.10%) 146 (48.30%) <0.001 285 (39.50%) Smoking issue 117 (37.10%) 149 (36.60%) 0.883 148 (38.20%) 118 (35.20%) 0.402 132 (31.40%) 134 (44.40%) <0.001 266 (36.80%) Alcohol use issue 113 (35.90%) 135 (33.20%) 0.448 128 (33.10%) 120 (35.80%) 0.438 125 (29.80%) 123 (40.70%) 0.002 248 (34.30%) Physical activity 157 (49.80%) 145 (35.60%) <0.001 147 (38.00%) 155 (46.30%) 0.024 161 (38.30%) 141 (46.70%) 0.025 302 (41.80%) Oral health 69 (22.00%) 90 (22.10%) 0.965 79 (20.40%) 80 (24.00%) 0.253 74 (17.70%) 85 (28.10%) 0.001 159 (22.10%) From where have you got this information? School/teachers 299 (94.90%) 397 (97.50%) 0.061 372 (96.10%) 324 (96.70%) 0.670 403 (96.00%) 293 (97.00%) 0.448 696 (96.40%) Television/radio 129 (41.00%) 188 (46.20%) 0.159 161 (41.60%) 156 (46.60%) 0.180 173 (41.20%) 144 (47.70%) 0.083 317 (43.90%) Family 108 (34.30%) 151 (37.10%) 0.434 160 (41.30%) 99 (29.60%) 0.001 122 (29.00%) 137 (45.40%) <0.001 259 (35.90%) Friends/peers 82 (26.00%) 98 (24.10%) 0.547 97 (25.10%) 83 (24.80%) 0.929 106 (25.20%) 74 (24.50%) 0.822 180 (24.90%) Health professionals 98 (31.10%) 115 (28.30%) 0.404 115 (29.70%) 98 (29.30%) 0.892 110 (26.20%) 103 (34.10%) 0.021 213 (29.50%) Internet 131 (41.60%) 138 (33.90%) 0.034 126 (32.60%) 143 (42.70%) 0.005 117 (27.90%) 152 (50.30%) <0.001 269 (37.30%) Books 90 (28.60%) 106 (26.00%) 0.449 98 (25.30%) 98 (29.30%) 0.236 104 (24.80%) 92 (30.50%) 0.089 196 (27.10%) Health clubs 35 (11.10%) 57 (14.00%) 0.254 59 (15.20%) 33 (9.90%) 0.031 31 (7.40%) 61 (20.20%) <0.001 92 (12.80%) Religious bodies 83 (26.30%) 118 (29.00%) 0.432 100 (25.80%) 101 (30.10%) 0.198 120 (28.60%) 81 (26.80%) 0.605 201 (27.80%) Open in a new tab The respondents were asked whether they had ever engaged in seeking health information, and 73.40% reported ‘Yes’, and the remaining, 26.60%, reported ‘No’. Chi-square test found statistically significant difference based on sex (Male (69.20%) vs. Female (76.70%) responded ‘Yes’ with p-value of 0.025), indicating that females were more likely than males to engage in seeking health information. The respondents reported the reasons for seeking health information as for treatment and/or management of personal health problem (38.80%), prevention and maintenance of personal health (70.20%), to help parents (21.90%), to help siblings (11.30%), to help relatives (8.50%), and to learn about health issues (38.90%). Chi-square test revealed that respondents from private schools were more likely than those from public schools to engage in searching for health information to learn about health issues (p = 0.020). Specific health topics searched for included mental health (42.90%), sexual and reproductive health (40.60%), and chronic conditions related (such as cancer, blood pressure, diabetes, and asthma) (16.90%). Additionally, there were also those who reported that it was specifically about nutrition, including the benefits of fruits, about the side effects of medications, skin (face) health, weight management, gastric issues, eye care, malaria, kidney, dental care, addiction related, and others. Sources usually consulted for these purposes included parents (60.80%), friends (20.60%), the Internet (17.30%), health professionals (13.60%), and others as shown in Table 3 . In addition, there were those who reported obtaining the needed information by reading books, regularly attending health programs on television, and consulting their grandmothers. However, the respondents reported their most trusted sources as health professionals (76.50%), followed by the Internet (22.90%), television/radio (16.80%), and family (15.90%). In several cases, usually consulted sources varied based on school type and grade level. Respondents from private schools were more likely than those from public schools to consult parents (p = 0.039) and search the Internet (p < 0.001). Respondents in grades 11–12 were also more likely than those in grades 9–10 to search the Internet (p < 0.001), while respondents from public schools were more likely to consult friends (p = 0.022). Table 3. Health information seeking, reasons, usually consulted sources, and trusted sources by sex, grade level, and school type. Questions Responses Sex Grade level School type Total n (%) Male n (%) Female n (%) P-value 9-10 n (%) 11-12 n (%) P-value Public n (%) Private n (%) P-value Interest in learning about health Yes 219 (69.50%) 330 (81.10%) 0.001 280 (72.40%) 269 (80.30%) 0.020 331 (78.80%) 218 (72.20%) 0.096 549 (76.00%) To some extent 70 (22.20%) 60 (14.70%) 84 (21.70%) 46 (13.70%) 65 (15.50%) 65 (21.50%) 130 (18.00%) No, currently 26 (8.30%) 17 (4.20%) 23 (5.90%) 20 (6.00%) 24 (5.70%) 19 (6.30%) 43 (6.00%) Practically seeking health information Yes 218 (69.20%) 312 (76.70%) 0.025 275 (71.10%) 255 (76.10%) 0.125 306 (72.90%) 224 (74.20%) 0.693 530 (73.40%) No 97 (30.80%) 95 (23.30%) 112 (28.90%) 80 (23.90%) 114 (27.10%) 78 (25.80%) 192 (26.60%) Reasons for seeking the information Treatment& management (personal) 82 (37.60%) 123 (39.50%) 0.653 105 (38.20%) 100 (39.40%) 0.779 116 (38.00%) 89 (39.70%) 0.692 205 (38.80%) Prevention& maintenance (personal) 148 (67.90%) 224 (71.80%) 0.334 196 (71.30%) 176 (69.00%) 0.571 214 (69.90%) 158 (70.50%) 0.881 372 (70.20%) To help parents 46 (21.10%) 70 (22.40%) 0.715 58 (21.10%) 58 (22.70%) 0.645 60 (19.60%) 56 (25.00%) 0.138 116 (21.90%) To help siblings 26 (11.90%) 34 (10.90%) 0.713 36 (13.10%) 24 (9.40%) 0.182 38 (12.40%) 22 (9.80%) 0.351 60 (11.30%) To help relatives 21 (9.60%) 24 (7.70%) 0.430 27 (9.80%) 18 (7.10%) 0.255 25 (8.20%) 20 (8.90%) 0.757 4 (8.50%) To learn about health issues 84 (38.50%) 122 (39.10%) 0.895 103 (37.50%) 103 (40.40%) 0.488 106 (34.60%) 100 (44.60%) 0.020 206 (38.90%) Specific health topics needed Mental health related 87 (40.30%) 139 (44.70%) 0.314 117 (42.70%) 109 (43.10%) 0.929 135 (44.60%) 91 (40.60%) 0.368 226 (42.90%) Sexual and reproductive health related 74 (34.30%) 140 (45.00%) 0.013 114 (41.60%) 100 (39.50%) 0.627 138 (45.50%) 76 (33.90%) 0.007 214 (40.60%) Chronic conditions related 33 (15.20%) 56 (18.00%) 0.398 53 (19.30%) 36 (14.20%) 0.113 51 (16.80%) 38 (17.00%) 0.955 89 (16.90%) Sources usually consulted for these purposes Parents/guardians 175 (55.60%) 264 (64.90%) 0.011 247 (63.80%) 192 (57.30%) 0.074 242 (57.60%) 197 (65.20%) 0.039 439 (60.80%) Siblings 30 (9.50%) 50 (12.30%) 0.241 45 (11.60%) 35 (10.40%) 0.614 54 (12.90%) 26 (8.60%) 0.073 80 (11.10%) Friends 70 (22.20%) 79 (19.40%) 0.355 76 (19.60%) 73 (21.80%) 0.476 99 (23.60%) 50 (16.60%) 0.022 149 (20.60%) Health professionals 48 (15.20%) 50 (12.30%) 0.251 57 (14.70%) 41 (12.20%) 0.330 56 (13.30%) 42 (13.90%) 0.824 98 (13.60%) Teachers 4 (1.30%) 12 (3.00%) 0.127 8 (2.10%) 8 (2.40%) 0.774 10 (2.40%) 6 (2.00%) 0.728 16 (2.20%) Internet 60 (19.00%) 65 (16.00%) 0.278 45 (11.60%) 80 (23.90%) <0.001 36 (8.60%) 89 (29.50%) <0.001 125 (17.30%) Religious figures 11 (3.50%) 7 (1.70%) 0.130 8 (2.10%) 10 (3.00%) 0.430 11 (2.60%) 7 (2.30%) 0.798 18 (2.50%) Trusted sources Health professionals 230 (73.00%) 322 (79.10%) 0.055 301 (77.80%) 251 (74.90%) 0.368 328 (78.10%) 224 (74.20%) 0.220 552 (76.50%) Books 51 (16.20%) 61 (15.00%) 0.658 54 (14.00%) 58 (17.30%) 0.214 57 (13.60%) 55 (18.20%) 0.089 112 (15.50%) Internet 86 (27.30%) 79 (19.40%) 0.012 70 (18.10%) 95 (28.40%) 0.001 51 (12.10%) 114 (37.70%) <0.001 165 (22.90%) Television/radio 60 (19.00%) 61 (15.00%) 0.147 66 (17.10%) 55 (16.40%) 0.819 79 (18.80%) 42 (13.90%) 0.082 121 (16.80%) Family 50 (15.90%) 65 (16.00%) 0.972 69 (17.80%) 46 (13.70%) 0.133 43 (10.20%) 72 (23.80%) <0.001 115 (15.90%) Friends 8 (2.50%) 11 (2.70%) 0.892 9 (2.30%) 10 (3.00%) 0.581 11 (2.60%) 8 (2.60%) 0.980 19 (2.60%) Teachers 28 (8.90%) 50 (12.30%) 0.145 45 (11.60%) 33 (9.90%) 0.443 37 (8.80%) 41 (13.60%) 0.042 78 (10.80%) Health clubs 12 (3.80%) 26 (6.40%) 0.124 20 (5.20%) 18 (5.40%) 0.902 22 (5.20%) 16 (5.30%) 0.972 38 (5.30%) Religious bodies 35 (11.10%) 57 (14.00%) 0.247 50 (12.90%) 42 (12.50%) 0.878 54 (12.90%) 38 (12.60%) 0.913 92 (12.70%) Open in a new tab Perceived major health topics or concerns identified as warranting attention Topics or issues of major health-related concerns reported as warranting attention included risky sexual behaviors (62.30%), substance use issues (55.30%), mental health challenges (49.40%), and social media addiction (46.80%). Additionally, a number of the respondents identified non-communicable diseases-related issues (such as understanding risk factors for chronic conditions in adulthood or how to prevent them), stress or worries related to education and future employment opportunities, and parents’ problems (conflicts between parents), among others, as important health-related concerns among adolescents. Female respondents were more likely than male respondents to consider risky sexual behaviors (p = 0.037) and mental health issues (p = 0.029) as topics of main health concerns among adolescents. In comparison, males were more likely than females to identify substance use issues (p < 0.001) and social media addiction (p = 0.020) as issues of great health-related concerns among adolescents, as shown in Table 4 . Table 4. Perceived major health topics or concerns identified as warranting attention by sex, grade level, and school type. Topics or issues of great concern Sex Grade level School type Total n (%) Male n (%) Female n (%) P-value 9-10 n (%) 11-12 n (%) P-value Public n (%) Private n (%) P-value Sexual and reproductive health issues (risky sexual behaviors) 181 (58.00%) 267 (65.60%) 0.037 247 (64.00%) 201 (60.40%) 0.317 262 (62.70%) 186 (61.80%) 0.809 448 (62.30%) Substance abuse issues 218 (69.40%) 181 (44.50%) <0.001 205 (53.00%) 194 (58.10%) 0.169 234 (55.80%) 165 (54.60%) 0.747 399 (55.30%) Mental health issues 140 (44.70%) 215 (53.00%) 0.029 183 (47.40%) 172 (51.70%) 0.257 208 (49.90%) 147 (48.70%) 0.750 355 (49.40%) Social media addiction 162 (51.80%) 175 (43.00%) 0.020 173 (44.70%) 164 (49.20%) 0.223 183 (43.80%) 154 (51.00%) 0.056 337 (46.80%) Open in a new tab Discussion and implications The study examined health issues and needs among adolescents, revealing multifaceted health challenges and substantial unmet health information and service needs. The findings highlight the importance of supportive and targeted educational, health, and policy initiatives, involving parental and community engagement, to address these challenges and improve adolescent health and well-being. More than one-quarter (about 28.0%) of the respondents in this study reported recent health problems, including mental health-related issues, reproductive health-related problems, and other issues. Females were more likely than males to experience mental health problems, consistent with prior studies, such as Yoon et al. [ 43 ] and Kesanto-Jokipolvi et al. [ 44 ] that highlight sex-based disparities in mental health among adolescents. This study found that access to health services was limited, with only one-third of the respondents reporting that they could access services when needed. Adolescents from private schools were more likely to have better access, as they generally came from families with better socioeconomic status, which provide them with greater access to health facilities and services [ 16 , 45 ]. These findings underscore the need to improve access to health services, addressing affordability and confidentiality-related barriers, especially for public school adolescents. Adolescents in the current study reported exposure to various health topics, most commonly hygiene and sanitation, followed by sexual and reproductive health, the health benefits of physical activity, mental health, and others, but with variations especially based on school type. Private school adolescents were more likely to receive information on diverse health topics, including nutrition, substances use issues such as cigarette and alcohol, and oral health. This likely reflects inequality not only based on school types but also across parental socioeconomic backgrounds. Schools emerged as the primary source of such information, while television/radio, the Internet, family, health professionals, religious bodies, friends/peers, and others, also played important roles, with variations observed by school types. Numerous other studies also reported that various sources play crucial roles in providing adolescents with essential health information [ 28 , 29 , 46 , 47 ]. However, compared to other countries such as Greece, where family plays a dominant role [ 47 ], the greater reliance on schools observed in the current study suggests cultural differences in parent-child communication about health issues. Introducing and strengthening community-based health education and equipping parents with accurate information and communication skills could help bridge these gaps, while reinforcing schools as key channels for comprehensive health education [ 16 , 28 , 46 ]. About three-quarters (73.40%) of the participants in the current study reported engaging in seeking health information for personal use (ranging from treatment to health enhancement), as well as to help others. Similarly, Asari et al. [ 16 ] reported that adolescents seek health information for their own health concerns and to assist others, especially their parents. In line with the current findings, various studies reported that adolescents commonly search for topics such as mental health, sexual and reproductive health, nutrition, body shape and weight management, and others [ 46 , 48 ]. The current study revealed that females were more likely than males to engage in information-seeking, consistent with prior studies, for instance [ 46 ]. This sex-based difference may be explained by the fact that female adolescents are generally more concerned about health [ 16 , 49 ] and may experience more health complaints [ 49 ]. Adolescents in the current study consulted multiple sources, including parents, friends, Internet, health professionals, and other sources, to obtain the health information they sought. Although health professionals were considered the most credible source of information (followed by the Internet and television/radio), access was limited, particularly for public school adolescents [ 16 ].This problem may not only stem from issues of availability, but also from the lack of adolescent-friendly services, including health information. Variations in usually consulted sources observed based on school type and grade level. These variations may depend on the nature or sensitivity of the health issues [ 46 , 50 ]. For sensitive issues, such as sexual and reproductive health matters, they may often rely on online sources [ 16 , 46 , 51 ] to maintain confidentiality and privacy [ 47 , 52 ], or on peers/friends, though these sometimes may expose them to misleading information [ 16 , 28 , 29 , 46 , 53 ]. For general health matters, they may consult parents, while open family discussions remain important for all health issues [ 16 ]. Socio-economic status also may influence it, affecting access to credible sources, appropriate services, and family communication [ 16 , 54 ]. Likewise, learning style may further shape adolescents’ preferences for health information sources: some prefer audio-visual contents, others value hearing directly from experts (in person or via media), while others prefer reading written materials [ 16 ]. Therefore, employing a multi-channel communication approach may be the most effective way to reach adolescents, with reliable, understandable, and engaging health information [ 28 , 55 , 56 ]. These may include school-based health programs, community-based health education, health education through television, radio, and religious institutions, and locally developed adolescent-friendly websites in native languages. Adolescents in the current study also identified several issues as important health concerns among their age group. Major areas of concern requiring great attention include risky sexual behaviors, substance use, mental health challenges, and social media addiction, with sex-based differences in perceived priorities. Overall, the findings reveal complex health challenges, alongside unmet needs in health information and services among adolescents. Addressing these issues requires multifaceted intervention strategies, including comprehensive health education, promotion of health literacy, increased parental and community engagement, accessible adolescent-friendly health services, and supportive policies [ 6 , 57 – 59 ]. Strengths and limitations The study addresses a significant health topic and makes a valuable contribution to the limited literature on the issue, particularly in Ethiopia. It provides crucial insights on adolescent health issues and needs, informing public health policy makers and interventions aiming at improving adolescent wellbeing and strengthening the health of future adult population and society at large. However, to draw conclusions from this study, the following points need to be noted. As the survey was based on self- reports and perceptions, responses may have been prone to response bias. However, as the survey was self-administered and confidential, participants were more likely to respond to the questions honestly and accurately. In addition, since other than adolescents currently attending school were not included in this study, the findings may not represent dropouts and those who were not in school in general. But the proportion of this out of school adolescents might be small, as adolescents are generally in school. Moreover, as the study was cross-sectional, causal inference cannot be made. Besides, although variables such as sex, grade level, and school type were considered as potential factors associated with adolescents’ health issues and needs, other variables were not considered in this study. Future studies should address these gaps. This study nevertheless provides crucial insights and basis for such investigations. Conclusion The study identified multifaceted health concerns and unmet health information and service needs among adolescents. It emphasizes the urgent need for tailored interventions responsive to the needs of diverse sociodemographic groups. These interventions should include effective health communication across multiple channels, health literacy promotion, parental and community engagement, and accessible adolescent-friendly health services to improve the health and well-being of adolescents specifically and society at large. Supporting information S1 File. Survey questions and associated statistical results. (DOCX) pgph.0006496.s001.docx (623KB, docx) Acknowledgments We would like to thank Jimma University and the school administrations for supporting and facilitating this study and all the participants for their genuine participation and contributions to address the aim of the study. Data Availability All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this article and its Supporting information . Funding Statement The authors received no specific funding for this work. References 1. Moghaddam HT, Bahreini A, Abbasi MA. Adolescence health: the needs, problems and attention. Int J Pediatr. 2016;4(2):1423–38. [ Google Scholar ] 2. Sunitha S, Gururaj G. Health behaviours & problems among young people in India: cause for concern & call for action. Indian J Med Res. 2014;140(2):185–208. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 3. Ross DA, Hinton R, Melles-Brewer M, Engel D, Zeck W, Fagan L, et al. Adolescent well-being: a definition and conceptual framework. J Adolesc Health. 2020;67(4):472–6. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.06.042 [ DOI ] [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 4. Willoughby T, Good M, Adachi PJC, Hamza C, Tavernier R. Examining the link between adolescent brain development and risk taking from a social-developmental perspective (reprinted). Brain Cogn. 2014;89:70–8. doi: 10.1016/j.bandc.2014.07.006 [ DOI ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 5. Chulani VL, Gordon LP. Adolescent growth and development. Prim Care. 2014;41(3):465–87. doi: 10.1016/j.pop.2014.05.002 [ DOI ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 6. Dara S, Arora S. Adolescent health problems and strategies to improve them. Int J Community Med Public Health. 2023;10(7):2645–51. doi: 10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20232066 [ DOI ] [ Google Scholar ] 7. Patton GC, Sawyer SM, Santelli JS, Ross DA, Afifi R, Allen NB, et al. Our future: a Lancet commission on adolescent health and wellbeing. Lancet. 2016;387(10036):2423–78. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)00579-1 [ DOI ] [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 8. Mytton OT, Donaldson L, Goddings A-L, Mathews G, Ward JL, Greaves F, et al. Changing patterns of health risk in adolescence: implications for health policy. Lancet Public Health. 2024;9(8):e629–34. doi: 10.1016/S2468-2667(24)00125-7 [ DOI ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 9. Raphael D. Adolescence as a gateway to adult health outcomes. Maturitas. 2013;75(2):137–41. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2013.03.013 [ DOI ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 10. WHO. Global accelerated action for the health of adolescents (AA-HA!): guidance to support country implementation. World Health Organization; 2023. [ Google Scholar ] 11. Pringle J, Doi L, Jindal-Snape D, Jepson R, McAteer J. Adolescents and health-related behaviour: using a framework to develop interventions to support positive behaviours. Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2018;4:69. doi: 10.1186/s40814-018-0259-7 [ DOI ] [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 12. Sawyer SM, Afifi RA, Bearinger LH, Blakemore S-J, Dick B, Ezeh AC, et al. Adolescence: a foundation for future health. Lancet. 2012;379(9826):1630–40. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(12)60072-5 [ DOI ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 13. Salam RA, Das JK, Lassi ZS, Bhutta ZA. Adolescent health interventions: conclusions, evidence gaps, and research priorities. J Adolesc Health. 2016;59(4S):S88–92. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.05.006 [ DOI ] [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 14. Hargreaves D, Mates E, Menon P, Alderman H, Devakumar D, Fawzi W, et al. Strategies and interventions for healthy adolescent growth, nutrition, and development. Lancet. 2022;399(10320):198–210. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)01593-2 [ DOI ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 15. Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Ministry of Health. National adolescents and youth health strategy (2021–2025). Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Ministry of Health; 2021. [ Google Scholar ] 16. Asari AA, Birhanu Z, Godesso A. Adolescents’ health literacy perspectives and implications. BMC Public Health. 2025;25(1):1233. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-22341-y [ DOI ] [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 17. Gall SL, Jamrozik K, Blizzard L, Dwyer T, Venn A. Healthy lifestyles and cardiovascular risk profiles in young Australian adults: the Childhood Determinants of Adult Health Study. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil. 2009;16(6):684–9. doi: 10.1097/HJR.0b013e3283315888 [ DOI ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 18. Asari AA, Godesso A, Birhanu Z. Health literacy and health-related behaviors and lifestyles among adolescents in Ethiopia. Discov Public Health. 2026;23(1). doi: 10.1186/s12982-026-01488-y [ DOI ] [ Google Scholar ] 19. WHO. Working for a brighter, healthier future: how WHO improves health and promotes well-being for the world’s adolescents. World Health Organization; 2024. [ Google Scholar ] 20. Harrison A, Tyrill C, Cousins S, Rocke K, Gossell-Williams M. Disparity between adolescents’ health information needs and the information received in a middle-income country. J Trop Pediatr. 2023;69(2):fmad018. doi: 10.1093/tropej/fmad018 [ DOI ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 21. Nartey EB, Babatunde S, Okonta KE, Kotoh AM, Amoadu M, Abraham SA, et al. Prevalence and barriers to the utilization of adolescent and youth-friendly health services in Ghana: systematic review and meta-analysis. Reprod Health. 2025;22(1):58. doi: 10.1186/s12978-025-02010-4 [ DOI ] [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 22. Sidamo NB, Abebe Kerbo A, Gidebo KD, Wado YD. A policy brief: improving access and utilization of adolescent sexual and reproductive health services in Southern Ethiopia. Front Public Health. 2024;12:1364058. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1364058 [ DOI ] [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 23. Tilahun T, Bekuma TT, Getachew M, Seme A. Assessment of access and utilization of adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health services in western Ethiopia. Reprod Health. 2021;18(1):85. doi: 10.1186/s12978-021-01136-5 [ DOI ] [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 24. Woldemichael A, Wondimu H, Berihun A, Tefera B, Zewdie T. A scoping review of mental health counseling practices, challenges, and prospects in Ethiopia. Discov Ment Health. 2026;6(1):40. doi: 10.1007/s44192-026-00386-8 [ DOI ] [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 25. Okoniewski AE, Lee YJ, Rodriguez M, Schnall R, Low AFH. Health information seeking behaviors of ethnically diverse adolescents. J Immigr Minor Health. 2014;16(4):652–60. doi: 10.1007/s10903-013-9803-y [ DOI ] [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 26. Paakkari L, Kulmala M, Lahti H, Boberová Z, Valentic M, Kleszczewska D, et al. Equality in adolescents’ opportunities for health information through the lens of health literacy: results from health behaviour in school-aged children study 2018 and 2022. J Adolesc Health. 2025;77(5):938–46. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2025.06.022 [ DOI ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 27. WHO. The adolescent health indicators recommended by the Global Action for Measurement of Adolescent health: guidance for monitoring adolescent health at country, regional and global levels. World Health Organization; 2024. [ Google Scholar ] 28. Baheiraei A, Khoori E, Foroushani AR, Ahmadi F, Ybarra ML. What sources do adolescents turn to for information about their health concerns? Int J Adolesc Med Health. 2014;26(1):61–8. doi: 10.1515/ijamh-2012-0112 [ DOI ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 29. Tsai M-C, Chou Y-Y, Lin S-J, et al. Factors associated with adolescents’ perspectives on health needs and preference for health information sources in Taiwan. Arch Disease Childhood. 2013;98(1):9–15. [ DOI ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 30. Freeman JL, Caldwell PHY, Scott KM. How adolescents trust health information on social media: a systematic review. Acad Pediatr. 2023;23(4):703–19. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2022.12.011 [ DOI ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 31. Wang ML, Togher K. Health misinformation on social media and adolescent health. JAMA Pediatr. 2024;178(2):109–10. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.5282 [ DOI ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 32. Baheiraei A, Khoori E, Weiler RM. Health concerns of adolescents in Tehran, Iran. Int J Adolesc Med Health. 2016;28(4):389–95. [ DOI ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 33. Herriman Z, Tchen H, Cafferty PW. Could be better: adolescent access to health information and care. Eur J Pediatr. 2024;184(1):7. doi: 10.1007/s00431-024-05868-x [ DOI ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 34. Asari AA, Godesso A, Birhanu Z. Development and validation of an adolescent health literacy scale in Ethiopia: a mixed methods approach. PLoS One. 2025;20(8):e0329184. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0329184 [ DOI ] [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 35. Amanu Asari A, Godesso A, Birhanu Z. Health literacy profiles and disparities among adolescents and implications in Ethiopia. J Multidiscip Healthc. 2025;18:5025–38. doi: 10.2147/JMDH.S532819 [ DOI ] [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 36. Israel GD. Determining sample size. 1992. [ Google Scholar ] 37. Bryman A. Social research methods. Oxford University Press; 2016. [ Google Scholar ] 38. Bolarinwa OA. Sample size estimation for health and social science researchers: the principles and considerations for different study designs. Niger Postgrad Med J. 2020;27(2):67–75. doi: 10.4103/npmj.npmj_19_20 [ DOI ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 39. Andrade C. Sample size and its importance in research. Indian J Psychol Med. 2020;42(1):102–3. doi: 10.4103/IJPSYM.IJPSYM_504_19 [ DOI ] [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 40. Monette DR, Sullivan TJ, DeJong CR. Applied social research: A tool for the human services. 2002. [ Google Scholar ] 41. Groves RM, Fowler Jr FJ, Couper MP. Survey methodology. John Wiley & Sons; 2011. [ Google Scholar ] 42. Ashcroft RE. The declaration of Helsinki. The Oxford textbook of clinical research ethics. 2008. pp. 141–8. [ Google Scholar ] 43. Yoon Y, Eisenstadt M, Lereya ST, Deighton J. Gender difference in the change of adolescents’ mental health and subjective wellbeing trajectories. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2023;32(9):1569–78. doi: 10.1007/s00787-022-01961-4 [ DOI ] [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 44. Kesanto-Jokipolvi H, Siipola M, Koivuhovi S, Pasu T, Seppänen P, Rimpelä A. Inequalities in adolescent mental health and allocation of students to selective classes in comprehensive schools in Finland: a longitudinal study. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2025;79(2):110–6. doi: 10.1136/jech-2023-221854 [ DOI ] [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 45. Najjar S, Saade M, Abdalla S, AlBuhairan F. Determinants of adolescents’ perceptions on access to healthcare services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Jeeluna national survey findings. BMJ Open. 2021;11(10):e035315. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035315 [ DOI ] [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 46. Martinović I, Kim SU, Stanarević Katavić S. Study of health information needs among adolescents in Croatia shows distinct gender differences in information seeking behaviour. Health Inf Libr J. 2023;40(1):70–91. doi: 10.1111/hir.12369 [ DOI ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 47. Vardavas CI, Kondilis BK, Patelarou E, Akrivos PD, Falagas ME. Health literacy and sources of health education among adolescents in Greece. Int J Adolesc Med Health. 2009;21(2):179–86. doi: 10.1515/ijamh.2009.21.2.179 [ DOI ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 48. Adeyoyin SO, Oyewusi FO. A survey of the needs and utilization of health information among young adults in Abeokuta, Ogun state, Nigeria. Library Philosophy and Practice. 2015;17. [ Google Scholar ] 49. Cockerham WC. Medical sociology. Routledge; 2017. [ Google Scholar ] 50. Syn SY, Kim SU. College students’ health information activities on Facebook: investigating the impacts of health topic sensitivity, information sources, and demographics. J Health Commun. 2016;21(7):743–54. doi: 10.1080/10810730.2016.1157652 [ DOI ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 51. Wartella E, Rideout V, Montague H, Beaudoin-Ryan L, Lauricella A. Teens, health and technology: a national survey. Media Commun. 2016;4(3):13–23. doi: 10.17645/mac.v4i3.515 [ DOI ] [ Google Scholar ] 52. Ackard DM, Neumark-Sztainer D. Health care information sources for adolescents: age and gender differences on use, concerns, and needs. J Adolesc Health. 2001;29(3):170–6. doi: 10.1016/s1054-139x(01)00253-1 [ DOI ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 53. Amanu A, Birhanu Z, Godesso A. Sexual and reproductive health literacy among young people in Sub-Saharan Africa: evidence synthesis and implications. Glob Health Action. 2023;16(1):2279841. doi: 10.1080/16549716.2023.2279841 [ DOI ] [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 54. Ratemo CO, Malakwen BK, Tallam E. The influence of socioeconomic factors on health information seeking behaviors in expectant teenagers: a study in Kajiado County, Kenya. AJERNET. 2025;6(1):88–98. doi: 10.51867/ajernet.6.1.9 [ DOI ] [ Google Scholar ] 55. Ybarra ML, Emenyonu N, Nansera D, Kiwanuka J, Bangsberg DR. Health information seeking among Mbararan adolescents: results from the Uganda Media and You survey. Health Educ Res. 2008;23(2):249–58. doi: 10.1093/her/cym026 [ DOI ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 56. Miller BS. Kansas rural adolescent health issues and needs: focus groups with 65 adolescents across four counties. Kansas State University; 2016. [ Google Scholar ] 57. Baltag V, Banerjee A. Leveraging the priority indicators to promote comprehensive adolescent health approaches. J Adolesc Health. 2024;74(6S):S12–4. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.12.001 [ DOI ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ] 58. Bagheri A, Nasiri S, Lame E, Mahdavipanah M, Darogheh L, Sadat Z. Health needs of adolescents in Aran va Bidgol City, Iran. J Res Health. 2023;13(1):59–66. doi: 10.32598/jrh.13.1.2005.1 [ DOI ] [ Google Scholar ] 59. Tampubolon NR, Tampubolon MM, Sari NY. Exploring adolescent mental health issues and primary service needs in Wetland areas: a mixed-method study. Jurnal Keperawatan Soedirman. 2025;20(1):51. doi: 10.20884/1.jks.2025.20.1.14570 [ DOI ] [ Google Scholar ] Associated Data This section collects any data citations, data availability statements, or supplementary materials included in this article. Supplementary Materials S1 File. Survey questions and associated statistical results. (DOCX) pgph.0006496.s001.docx (623KB, docx) Data Availability Statement All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this article and its Supporting information . Articles from PLOS Global Public Health are provided here courtesy of PLOS ACTIONS View on publisher site PDF (597.7 KB) Cite Collections Permalink RESOURCES Similar articles Cited by other articles Links to NCBI Databases Follow NCBI NCBI on X (formerly known as Twitter) NCBI on Facebook NCBI on LinkedIn NCBI on GitHub NCBI RSS feed Connect with NLM NLM on X (formerly known as Twitter) NLM on Facebook NLM on YouTube National Library of Medicine 8600 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20894 Web Policies FOIA HHS Vulnerability Disclosure Help Accessibility Careers NLM NIH HHS USA.gov Back to Top

Health issues and needs among adolescents in Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study.

Analyze & explore related research in Conceptio

Related documents