A1 Journal article (refereed)
Nuorten yksinäisyys on yhteydessä lisääntyneeseen oireiluun ja lääkkeiden käyttöön (2019)
Loneliness of adolescents associated with increased symptoms and medicine use
Lyyra, N., Junttila, N., Tynjälä, J., & Välimaa, R. (2019). Nuorten yksinäisyys on yhteydessä lisääntyneeseen oireiluun ja lääkkeiden käyttöön. Lääkärilehti, 74(32), 1670-1675. https://www.laakarilehti.fi/tieteessa/alkuperaistutkimukset/nuorten-yksinaisyys-on-yhteydessa-lisaantyneeseen-oireiluun-ja-laakkeiden-kayttoon/
JYU authors or editors
Publication details
All authors or editors: Lyyra, Nelli; Junttila, Niina; Tynjälä, Jorma; Välimaa, Raili
Journal or series: Lääkärilehti
ISSN: 0039-5560
eISSN: 2489-7434
Publication year: 2019
Volume: 74
Issue number: 32
Pages range: 1670-1675
Publisher: Suomen lääkäriliitto
Publication country: Finland
Publication language: Finnish
Persistent website address: https://www.laakarilehti.fi/tieteessa/alkuperaistutkimukset/nuorten-yksinaisyys-on-yhteydessa-lisaantyneeseen-oireiluun-ja-laakkeiden-kayttoon/
Publication open access: Openly available
Publication channel open access: Delayed open access channel
Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/65506
Additional information: Tieteessä | alkuperäistutkimus
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Loneliness is a major risk for adolescents’ health and well-being. This study analysed the prevalence of loneliness among Finnish youth and the associations between loneliness, psychosomatic symptoms, and medicine use. METHODS: Data were collected in 2018 as part of the international Health Behaviour of School-aged Children (HBSC) study. Participants were 1798 7th and 9th grade students. Statistical analyses were carried out by χ2-test and 95% confidence interval testing. RESULTS: The prevalence of loneliness increased as children became adolescents and approximately one sixth of 15-year-olds experienced loneliness quite often or very often. Lonely adolescents more frequently displayed psychosomatic symptoms and, in particular, a higher prevalence of nervousness and difficulties in getting to sleep. Lonely adolescents were also shown to use medicine for nervousness and difficulties in getting to sleep three times more often than non-lonely adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that a focus should be placed on adolescent loneliness in both home and school environments. There are ways to prevent and reduce loneliness. Prior to taking action to reduce adolescent loneliness, its effects on health and well-being among adolescents should be identified.
Keywords: young people; loneliness; health effects; risk factors; pre-emption; symptoms; psychosomatics; pharmacotherapy; medicalisation
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Related research datasets
Ministry reporting: Yes
Reporting Year: 2019
JUFO rating: 1