Adolescents' perceptions with regard to health risks, health profile and the relationship of these variables to a psychological factor ...

This thesis reports on research that was undertaken to investigate health risk perceptions and health profile of adolescents of the same ethnic background in two different cultural settings. Further, it attempts to identify a possible linkage between health risk perceptions and health profile of adolescents and psychological factor. The data obtained provides a basis on which to potentially develop, refine or co-ordinate educational strategies concerning adolescent health, particularly directed towards the ethnic group which was the focus of the study. The major research questions were directed towards adolescents' own perceptions with regard to personal health risks; comparison of these perceptions of health risks with those risks perceived for other people of the same age; and, differences in health risk perceptions, health profile and psychological variables of adolescents across gender and cultural settings. Moreover, they attempted to identify a relationship of psychological variables with the domains in health risk perception and the dimensions in health profile; and, a relationship between health risk perception, health profile and a constructed psychological factor.