TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2021//
TI  - Correlates of lifetime physical abuse among schoolchildren aged 15 years in post-communist Albania
JO  - Frontiers in public health
A1  - Qirjako, Gentiana
A1  - Dika, Qamil
A1  - Mone, Iris
A1  - Draçini, Xheladin
A1  - Kuneshka, Loreta
A1  - Roshi, Enver
A1  - Burazeri, Genc
SP  - e607493
EP  - e607493
VL  - 9
IS  - 
N2  - AIM: Our aim was to assess the prevalence and correlates of lifetime physical abuse among schoolchildren in Albania, a post-communist country in South Eastern Europe which is currently undergoing a rapid socioeconomic transition. <br><br>METHODS: The third wave of Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) in Albania was conducted in 2017-18 including a nationwide representative sample of 1,708 schoolchildren aged 15 years (54% girls; response rate: 95%). Children were asked to report on lifetime physical abuse and a wide range of socio-demographic factors, lifestyle factors and health status characteristics. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the independent association of lifetime physical abuse with covariates. <br><br>RESULTS: Overall, the prevalence of lifetime physical abuse was about 32% (30% in boys vs. 32% in girls). In multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models, independent positive correlates of lifetime physical abuse among Albanian schoolchildren included lifetime smoking (OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.1-2.2), lifetime alcohol consumption (OR = 1.6, 95%CI = 1.2-2.1), irritability (OR([dailyvs.rarely/never]) = 2.0, 95%CI = 1.3-3.0), and especially lifetime witnessed domestic violence (OR = 4.2, 95%CI = 2.2-7.9). Conversely, a higher score on life satisfaction was inversely related to lifetime physical abuse (P < 0.01). <br><br>CONCLUSION: Our study provides novel evidence about the magnitude and selected independent correlates of lifetime physical abuse among schoolchildren in Albania, a country still embedded in an everlasting transition which is associated with tremendous changes in family structure, community links and societal norms and values. Irrespective of a wide range of sociodemographic factors and health characteristics, lifetime smoking, alcohol consumption, irritability, a lower score on life satisfaction and, particularly, witnessed domestic violence were strong and significant correlates of lifetime physical abuse among Albanian schoolchildren aged 15 years.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 2296-2565
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.607493
ID  - ref1
ER  -