School of Economics, Finance and Banking, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia, 06010 UUM Sintok, Kedah Darul Aman, Malaysia.
Sector for Biostatistics and Data Repository, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, No. 1, Jln Setia Murni U13/52, Seksyen U13, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
Pediatr Neonatol. 2021 Nov;62(6):628-637. doi: 10.1016/j.pedneo.2021.05.025. Epub 2021 Jul 13.
Mental health disorders are highly correlated with risk behaviors. The objective of the present study is to examine the relationship between risk behaviors and mental health among school-going students with a focus on ethnic minorities.
The National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2017 (n = 8230) was used for analyses. It was a nationwide survey conducted in Malaysia. The dependent variables were measured by three risk behaviors (cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking and use of illicit drugs). Probit regressions were utilized to examine the effect of mental health on the probability of smoking, drinking and using illicit drugs. Demographic and lifestyle factors were used as the control variables. Truancy was identified as a mediating variable.
Anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation affected cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking and use of illicit drugs through mediation of truancy. After controlling for demographic and lifestyle factors, students with anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation were more likely to smoke, drink and use illicit drugs compared with their peers without any mental health disorders. Furthermore, the likelihood of consuming cigarettes, alcohol and illicit drugs was found to be higher among students who played truant than those who did not.
Mental health plays an important role in determining participation in risk behaviors among ethnic minority students in Malaysia. Public health administrators and schools have to be aware that students who suffer from mental health disorders are likely to indulge in risk behaviors.
心理健康障碍与风险行为高度相关。本研究的目的是检验在校学生中，风险行为与心理健康之间的关系，并特别关注少数民族群体。
本研究使用了 2017 年全国健康与发病率调查（NHMS）的数据（n=8230）。该调查是在马来西亚进行的全国性调查。因变量通过三种风险行为（吸烟、饮酒和使用非法药物）来衡量。采用概率回归分析来检验心理健康对吸烟、饮酒和使用非法药物的概率的影响。人口统计学和生活方式因素被用作控制变量。逃学被确定为中介变量。
焦虑、抑郁和自杀意念通过逃学来影响吸烟、饮酒和使用非法药物。在控制了人口统计学和生活方式因素后，患有焦虑、抑郁和自杀意念的学生比没有任何心理健康障碍的同龄人更有可能吸烟、饮酒和使用非法药物。此外，逃学的学生比不逃学的学生更有可能吸食香烟、饮酒和使用非法药物。
心理健康在决定马来西亚少数民族学生参与风险行为方面起着重要作用。公共卫生管理人员和学校必须意识到，患有心理健康障碍的学生更有可能沉迷于风险行为。
