DOI: 10.31082/1728-452X-2019-205-206-7-8-2-9
УДК 616.89-008-053.6-054.72(574)
MENTAL WELL-BEING, POSITIVE HEALTH OUTCOMES AND RISK BEHAVIORS AMONG IMMIGRANT ADOLESCENTS IN KAZAKHSTAN
Shynar Z ABDRAKHMANOVA1, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3504-0427,
Assel A ADAYEVA1, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9013-5248,
Tatyana I SLAZHNEVA2, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3632-486X,
Botagoz S TULTAEVA1, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8424-9641
1National Center of Public Health MoH RK, Nur-Sultan c., Republic of Kazakhstan,
2Kazakhstan’s Medical University “Kazakhstan School of Public Health”, Almaty c., Republic of Kazakhstan
Each country can become a country of origin, transit or destination of refugees and migrants. Often, the decision to immigrate is made by adult family members, without taking into account the views of children. As a result, immigration can act as a traumatic factor for them, as it involves a break from the usual socio-cultural environment (yard, city, school, etc.) and established social circle (classmates, acquaintances, friends). In this regard, the health of migrant children is part of public health.
Objective. This study examined the impact of migration status on positive health outcomes and well-being and risk behaviours in adolescents in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Material and methods. Analysis is based on Health behavior in School-Aged Children survey (HBSC) first ever conducted in Kazakhstan in 2017-208 academic year. The target population - 11, 13 and 15 year old adolescents: (n=3992) (49.5% girls), among them 191 first generation migrant adolescents (4.8%), 329 second- generation migrants (8.2%) and 3472 native-born, non-immigrant adolescents (87.0%).
Results and discussion. Immigrant and non-immigrant adolescents did not differ in prevalence of fair/poor self rated health, high life satisfaction, multiple health complaints. More first generation immigrants than non-immigrants and second generation immigrant peers experienced mental health problems. The frequencies of cigarette smoking, e-cigarette and alcohol use, as well as bullying and cyber bullying were significantly higher among first generation immigrants than among natives and second-generation immigrant adolescents.
Conclusions. In Kazakhstani context, migration has a negative impact for adolescent mental well-being and risk behaviors, especially for first generation immigrants.
Keywords: immigration, adolescents, positive health, mental well-being, mental health, risk behaviors.