Background: The study of young female adolescents in
Jamaica is sparse and few, in particular on reported health
status. This research seeks to examine the self-reported health
status of young female 12-17 years and to model factors that
influence good health status of young female adolescents.
Method: This study utilizes a 2002 Jamaica Survey
of Living Conditions (JSLC). The survey is a nationally
representative cross-sectional one in which data was collected
using stratified random sample, during June - October 2002.
It is a modification of the World Bank’s Living Standards
Measurement Study (LSMS) household survey. The current
study used a sub-sample of 1,565 female respondents between
the ages of 12 to 17 years, with a mean age of 14.4 years (± 1.7
years).
Results: Four variables emerged as accounting for 20.3% of
the variability in reported good health status of young females.
The factors are cost of medical care (OR = 1.00, 95% CI = 1.00,
1.00), private health care insurance coverage (OR = 0.30, 95%
CI = 0.01, 0.09), number of females in household (OR = 0.73,
95% CI = 0.59, 0.90), and health care seeking behaviour (OR =
1.25, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.52).
Conclusions: The findings are far reaching and can be used
to guide policy. Any policy that seeks to address the well-being
of female adolescents must incorporate the advancement of the
household, social and economic factors coupled with the needs
of the individual.