Abstract

GOMEZ-BUSTAMANTE, Edna M  and  COGOLLO, Zuleima. Predictive factors related to general well-being in adolescent students in Cartagena, Colombia. Rev. salud pública [online]. 2010, vol.12, n.1, pp.61-70. ISSN 0124-0064.

Objective Determining predictive factors related to well-being amongst adolescent students in Cartagena, Colombia. Methods An analytical, cross-sectional study was designed using a random sample of adolescent students who were enrolled in public and private schools in Cartagena. The students filled out an individual, anonymous questionnaire to investigate selfesteem, the intensity of their religious feeling (attitude towards Christianity), their general well-being (depressive symptoms) and level of family functioning. A descriptive analysis of the variables was made; all qualitative and quantitative variables were then dichotomised. Odds ratios (OR) were estimated using 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI). Results A group of 1,014 students successfully completed the survey. Mean age was 15.1 (SD=1.8); 54.5 % were girls. The variables significantly associated with well-being were high self-esteem (3.5 OR, 1.2-5.7 95 %CI), intense religiousness (2.2 OR, 1.3-3.4 95 %CI) and having a functional family (2.0 OR, 1.2-3.1 95 %CI). Conclusion High self-esteem, intense religiousness and having a functional family were predictors of well-being among adolescent students in Cartagena, Colombia.

Keywords : Adolescent; student; depression; cross-sectional study.

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