INTRODUCTION:

Middle adolescence, spans approximately ages 15 to 17. These adolescents are becoming more future-oriented and are able to understand cause and affect relationships between their health behaviours today and potential future consequences. However, they don't always personalize their knowledge and actually engage in the good health practices of which they are aware. Adolescents in this middle stage need support with decision-making and follow-through. (Judith A. Vessey, Elizabeth Sloand Miola)

The promotion of self-care has been recognized as an important aspect of managing demand for health care more effectively. Self-care is increasingly being seen by policy makers as a hidden health care resource to be viewed in the context of health care provided by the formal health care sector.

Adolescents are full of energy, have significant drive and new ideas. They are a positive force for a Nation and are responsible for its future productivity provided they develop in a healthy manner. Since mortality in this age group is relatively low the adolescents are considered to be healthy. However, Mortality is a misleading measure of adolescent health. In fact, the adolescents do have a range of health problems that cause a lot of morbidity as well as definite mortality. Adolescent Health and Development (AHD)

OBJECTIVES:

1. To assess the level of self care practices among adolescence in Government Higher Secondary School at Muniyappankoil, Namakkal (dist).

2. To determine the influence of cultural characteristics on self care practices among middle adolescence in government higher secondary School, Muniyappankoil, Namakkal (dist).

3. To find out association between the self care practices of adolescence and their selected demographic variables

OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS:

Socioeconomic and Cultural Influence:-

It is a measure of family’s socio economic factors includes education, occupational and also the traditional, religious and customary practices.

Self Care:- It is the activities performed by middle adolescence to fulfill their personnel needs.

Middle Adolescence:-

It refers to age group between 14-15 years those who are studying 10^th standard in Government Higher Secondary School Muniyappankoil, Namakkal.

HYPOTHESIS:

H1- There is a significant level of self care practices among adolescence in government higher secondary school at Muniyappankoil, Namakkal (dist).

H2- There is a significant level of influence of socio cultural characteristics on self care practices among adolescence in Government Higher Secondary School at Muniyappankoil, Namakkal (dist) .

H3- There is a significant association between the self care practices of adolescence and their selected demographic variables.

METHODOLOGY:

Research Design:

The research design selected for the present study is descriptive in nature, to be precise correlation design .

Setting:-

The setting for study is Government Higher Secondary School Muniyappankoil, Namakkal (dist).

Sample and sample size:

The samples for the present study were middle adolescence in Government Higher Secondary School Muniyappankoil, Namakal (dist), who fulfill the sampling criteria. The sample size was arbitrarily decided as 30middle adolescence

Sampling Technique:-

Purposive sampling technique” is used to select cases.

SAMPLING CRITERIA:

Inclusion Criteria:-

· Middle adolescence in the group of 14 to 15 years.

· Who are willing to participate in the study.

· Middle adolescence who could understand and converse in English.

· Middle adolescence who are studying in Government Higher Secondary School Muniyappankoil, Namakkal (dist).

Description of the tool:

Section A: Checklist on socioeconomic and cultural status

Section B: Checklist on self care practice

Section C: Demographic variables

RESULTS:

Table 4.1 Frequency and percentage distribution of socioeconomic and cultural influence in self care practices among middle adolescence in selected Government Higher Secondary School Muniyappankoil, Namakkal(dist) according to their demographic variables.

Demographc variables

total no.

Percentage

Age

a) 14 years

b) 15 years

50%

Sex

a) male

b) female

67%

33%

Educational status of parents

a) literate

b) illiterate

13.3%

26.6%

Occupational status of parents

coolie

government employees

private worker

60%

13.3%

26.6%

· Distribution of samples according to the age group of middle adolescence shows the children were equally distributed (14 yrs-50%, 15yrs-50%).

· Distribution of the samples according to sex of middle adolescence shows that majority of middle adolescence belongs to Male (67%), and Female (33%).

· Distribution samples according to their parents educational status shows that majority of the parents are illiterate (76.6%), and literate (23.3%).

· Distribution of samples according to their parents occupational status shows that majority of parents are coolie (66%), Government employees (13.3%) and remaining belongs to private employees(8%

Table 4.2 Mean standard deviation and ‘r’ value regarding socioeconomic and cultural influences on self care practices of middle adolescence.

Mean

Standard deviation

‘r’ value

Purposively selected middle adolescence

0.65

Socioeconomic and cultural influences

Table revels mean, SD, range and ‘r’ value regarding socioeconomic and cultural influences of middle adolescence.

The obtained co-efficient of co-relation r= 0.65 positive. There is significant co-relation between socioeconomic and cultural influence and self care practices.

It was inferred that the socio economic and cultural influences and self care practices are significantly co-related.

Table 4.3 Chi square value of association between the socio economic and cultural influences on middle adolescence studying in Government Higher Secondary School Muniyappankoil, Namakkal (dist).

Demographic variable of middle adolescence	Df	χ² Value	Table value	Level of significance
Age of the children	1	0.702	3.841	Not significant
Sex	1	.574	3.841	TV>CV Not significant
Education	4	19.16	9.815	TC<CV Significant
Occupation	3	3.061	7.815	TC>CV Not significant

The table reveals the significant relationship between socioeconomic and cultural influences middle adolescence. The obtained χ² values regarding selected background factors of middle adolescence age χ²=0.702 (TV=0.702). Sex χ²=0.574(3.841), Educational status of parents χ²=19.16(TV=9.488), Occupational status of parents χ²=3.061(TV=7.815), of the middle adolescence Therefore it was inferred that there was significant association between socioeconomic influences on middle adolescence and selected backgrounds.

Table 4.4 Table revels that significant relationship between self care practices selected background factors among middle adolescence

Demographic Variables	Df	χ ² Value	Table value	Level of significance
Age	1	2.16	3.841	Not significant
Sex	1	46.12	19.16	Significant
Education	4	41.439	19.16	Significant
Occupation	3	19.16	7.815	Significant

The obtained χ² values regarding selected background factors of middle adolescence such as Age χ²=2.16(TV=3.84), Sex χ²=46.12(TV=3.841), Education of the parents χ² =41.439 (TV=19.16), Occupational status of parents χ²=19.16(TV=7.815).Were significantly associated with self care practices among middle adolescence studying in Government Higher Secondary School, Muniyappankovil, Namakkal (dist). Therefore self care practices were dependent of these selected background factors.

NURSING IMPLICATION:

By mass health education and through innovative measures nurse should educated regarding the self care practices among middle adolescents.

NURSING PRACTICES:

The proper measures to be practiced regarding self care in community settings by proper education.

RECOMMONDATION:

v The replication of the present study can be conducted at different length and intervals.

v The replication of the present study can be conducted with large samples.

v A comparative study can be conducted in different school in same age group.

v A similar study can be conducted by adopting other techniques for data collection.

v A similar study can be conducted with standard teaching programme.

v The same study can be conducted as a comparative study in between urban and rural area.

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Received on 07.02.2013 Modified on 07.03.2013

Asian J. Nur. Edu. and Research 3(2): April.-June 2013; Page 79-81