State of health of adolescents in eastern regions of Poland. Podlasie region child.

The aim of the study was an attempt to evaluate the state of health of adolescents aged 15 years, living in Podlasie region near the border of Poland and Bielorus. Data from the Schoolchild Development and Health Investigation Charts covering 197 rural and 208 urban adolescents were analyzed. The significance of differences between the two populations were tested by Chi 2 test at the level of p > 0.05. The study showed that nearly 60% of rural and 70% of urban schoolchildren have health problems. The most common of these problems are associated with the body posture. The data on self-reported health indicated that the most often observed complaints in both populations (rural and urban) of adolescents were: headaches, difficulties with falling asleep and lack of appetite. In spite of the high incidence of health problems, the number of schoolchildren being attended by medical specialists in outpatient departments is relatively small, to the disadvantage of the rural population. The laryngology and ophthalmology departments were visited most frequently. The analysis of the results of the studies confirmed that the state of health of the children examined is unsatisfactory. An effective prevention of these negative phenomena requires the creation of efficient systemic mechanisms on the one hand, and on the other, a constant monitoring of objective and self-reported health.