earticle

영어

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the health risk behaviors, mental health and subjective health status of adolescents in multicultural families and monocultural (Korean) families. This study was conducted to prepare basic data for education and policy proposals related to health promotion of adolescents in multicultural families. Methods: The study was a secondary analysis using the raw data of the 15th Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (2019). A complex sample multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to understand the influence of growing up in a multicultural family on health risk behaviors, mental health and subjective health status by comparing the variables to those of monocultural adolescents. Results: Adolescents from multicultural families had a 3.3 times higher rate of drug use experience, 1.89 times higher rate of sexual experience, and 1.24 times higher rate of not wearing seat belts. In addition, the rate of not washing hands and the rate of suicide attempts were 1.34-1.50 times and 1.62 times higher, respectively, compared to adolescents from monocultural families. Conclusion: This study showed that it is necessary to develop appropriate health promotion programs to solve the problems of drug use, sexual intercourse, not wearing seat belts, not washing hands, and attempting suicides, which are more prevalent among adolescents from multicultural families than from monocultural families. It will serve a basic policy for the long-term development and growth of Korea at this critical time when multicultural adolescents are increasing.