Truancy among School-Going Adolescents in Malaysia and Its Associated Factors: Findings from the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2022
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-1-2024
Abstract
Background: Truancy is correlated with variety of unfavorable outcomes that can negatively impact adolescents' development and well-being. We investigated the prevalence of truancy and its associated factors among school-going adolescents in Malaysia in 2022. Methods: We used secondary data from the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2022. It is a cross-sectional study with a multistage stratified cluster sampling study design including 32,290 students aged 13 to 17 years old. It utilized the self-administered questionnaire from the validated Malaysian Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS). The associations between the truancy and its associated factors were examined using multivariate logistic regression, a complex sample analysis with sampling weightage. Results: The prevalence of truancy was 25.6% (95% CI=24.25, 26.98). In the multivariate analysis, truancy was significantly associated with older age groups (P<0.001), adolescents with separated/ divorced/ widowed parents (P<0.001), those with current any tobacco product use (P<0.001), those with ever drug use (P<0.001), those who have been physically attacked (P<0.001) and being bullied (P<0.001). Conclusion: Gender, age, parent marital status, and adolescents with risk behavior were associated with truancy. This information may provide evidence for the implementation of effective prevention and intervention strategies to reduce truancy among these school-going adolescents.
Keywords
Absenteeism, Truancy, Adolescent, Protective factor, Malaysia
Divisions
Socialprevent
Funders
Ministry of Health, Malaysia (NMRR-21-157-58261)
Publication Title
Iranian Journal of Public Health
Volume
53
Issue
12
Publisher
Iranian Scientific Society Medical Entomology
Publisher Location
SCHOOL PUBLIC HEALTH & INST HEALTH RESEARCH, TEHRAN UNIV MEDICAL SCIENCES, P O BOX 6446-14155, TEHRAN, 00000, IRAN