Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading causes of poor health and early death globally. Although NCDs are most common in middle to late adulthood, many lifestyle habits that contribute to these diseases begin during adolescence. This research evaluated the knowledge of non-communicable diseases among adolescents in public and private secondary schools in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Methods: The study used a comparative cross-sectional design to collect research data from 640 adolescents. Participants were selected through a multi-stage sampling technique and data was analysed using IBM Statistical Product for the Service Solution version 29. Results: Few respondents from private (6.3%) and public (5.3%) schools had good knowledge, majority from private (75%) and public (66.9) schools had fair knowledge, while 18.8% (private) and 27.8% (public) had poor knowledge on non-communicable diseases. Socioeconomic status and knowledge level were statistically significant (p<0.05). The prevalence of NCDs (asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure) was 3.4% and 2.5% among private and public school adolescents. Conclusion: There is need for continuous health education on NCDs risk factors among adolescents to ensure they adopt healthy lifestyles through informed choices to foster good and quality health into adulthood.
Published in | World Journal of Public Health (Volume 9, Issue 4) |
DOI | 10.11648/j.wjph.20240904.15 |
Page(s) | 354-365 |
Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Non-communicable Diseases, Adolescents, Knowledge, Public Schools, Private Schools
[1] | Owopetu OF, Adebayo AM, Popoola OA. Behavioural risk factors for non-communicable diseases among undergraduates in South-west Nigeria: Knowledge, prevalence and correlates: A comparative cross-sectional study. Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene. 2021; 61(4): E568–E577. |
[2] |
World Health Organization. Non-communicable diseases key facts by WHO. In: News-room. 2023. Available from:
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/noncommunicable-diseases |
[3] | World Health Organization. Global status report on non-communicable diseases 2014. WHO Library; 2014. 302 p. |
[4] | Oluwasanu MM, Oladepo O. Effects of a multi-level intervention on the pattern of physical activity among in-school adolescents in Oyo state Nigeria: A cluster randomised trial. BMC Public Health. 2017; 17(1): 833. |
[5] | Olaoluwa SA, Benedicta NA, Felicia SE, Theresa CM, Prince CIU. Knowledge of risk factors for lifestyle induced chronic diseases among secondary school students in Obio/Akpor LGA, Rivers State. Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology. 2016; 8(8): 136–146. |
[6] | Ng M, Fleming T, Robinson M, Thomson B, Graetz N, Margono C, et al. Global, regional, and national prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adults during 1980–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. The Lancet. 2014; 384(9945): 766–781. |
[7] | Obita G, Alkhatib A. Disparities in the Prevalence of Childhood Obesity-Related Comorbidities: A Systematic Review. Frontiers in Public Health. 2022; 10: 923744. |
[8] | Black RE, Victora CG, Walker SP, Bhutta ZA, Christian P, de Onis M, et al. Maternal and child undernutrition and overweight in low-income and middle-income countries. The Lancet. 2013; 382(9890): 427–451. |
[9] | National Population Commission of Nigeria. Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2013. National Population Commission; 2014. |
[10] | Akseer N, Mehta S, Wigle J, Chera R, Brickman ZJ, Al-Gashm S, et al. Non-communicable diseases among adolescents: current status, determinants, interventions and policies. BMC Public Health. 2020; 20(1): 1908. |
[11] | Caleyachetty R, Echouffo-Tcheugui JB, Tait CA, Schilsky S, Forrester T, Kengne AP. Prevalence of behavioural risk factors for cardiovascular disease in adolescents in low-income and middle-income countries: An individual participant data meta-analysis. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2015; 3(7). |
[12] | Jasińska M, Strzelecka A, Chmielewski J, Wolak P, Stanisławska I, Choina P, et al. Quality of life, health, eating habits and physical development of middle school adolescents in the Świetokrzyskie. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2021; 28(4): 659–66. |
[13] | Gamage AU, Jayawardana PL. Knowledge of non-communicable diseases and practices related to healthy lifestyles among adolescents, in state schools of a selected educational division in Sri Lanka. BMC Public Health. 2018; 18(1). |
[14] |
National Bureau of Statistics. City population: Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area. 2022. Available from:
https://citypopulation.de/en/nigeria/admin/rivers/NGA033015__obio_akpor/ |
[15] | Rivers State Ministry of Education. RIVEMIS Schools Directory. 2023. Available from: |
[16] | Kim HY. Statistical notes for clinical researchers: Sample size calculation 2. Comparison of two independent proportions. Restor Dent Endod. 2016; 41(2): 154–6. |
[17] | Ezeudu CE, Chukwuka JO, Ebenebe JC, Igwe WC, Egbuonu I. Hypertension and prehypertension among adolescents attending secondary schools in urban area of South-East, Nigeria. Pan Afr Med J. 2018; 31: 145. |
[18] | Bujang MA. A Step-by-Step Process on Sample Size Determination for Medical Research. Malays J Med Sci. 2021; 28(2): 15–27. |
[19] | Biau DJ, Kernéis S, Porcher R. Statistics in brief: the importance of sample size in the planning and interpretation of medical research. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2008; 466(9): 2282–8. |
[20] | Rusticus SA, Lovato CY. Impact of sample size and variability on the power and type I error rates of equivalence tests: A simulation study. Pract Assess Res Eval. 2014; 19(1): 11. |
[21] |
World Health Organization. Noncommunicable Disease Surveillance, Monitoring and Reporting: STEPwise approach to NCD risk factor surveillance (STEPS). 2024. Available from:
https://www.who.int/teams/noncommunicable-diseases/surveillance/systems-tools/steps |
[22] | Eviano J. O. Dietary Pattern, Nutritional Status and Blood Pressure Level of In-School Adolescents in Edo State, Nigeria. 2020. Available from: |
[23] | Akinsanya OO, Ajayi KO, Salomi MO. Relative Effects of Parents' Occupation, Qualification and Academic Motivation of Wards on Students' Achievement in Senior Secondary School Mathematics in Ogun State. J Educ Pract. 2014; 5(22): 3–15. |
[24] | Oduro-ofori E, Mansoh M, Attom L, Kafui O, Amaka-Otchere A. Effect of Parental Socio-Economic Status on the Performance of Senior High School Students in the Sefwi Wiawso Municipality in Ghana. East Afr J Educ Soc Sci. 2023; 4: 58–68. |
[25] | Heyneman S, Stern J. Low cost private schools for the poor: What public policy is appropriate?. Int J Educ Dev. 2014; 35: 3–15. |
[26] | Munir J, Faiza M, Daud S. The Impact of Socio-economic Status on Academic Achievement. Journal of Social Sciences and Research. 2023; 3: 695-705. |
[27] | Ibadin M, Akpede G. A revised scoring scheme for the classification of socio-economic status in Nigeria. Niger J Paediatr. 2021; 48(1): 26–33. |
[28] | Kiplagat SJ, Steyl T, Wachira LJ, Phillips J. Knowledge of non-communicable diseases among adolescents in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. African Health Sciences. 2023; 23(2): 589–596. |
[29] | Agbaje S, Agu B, Ekpu F, Maduekwe T, Umoke P. Knowledge of risk factors for lifestyle induced chronic diseases among secondary school students in Obio/Akpor LGA, Rivers State. J Public Health Epidemiol. 2016; 8(6): 136–46. |
[30] | Oyibo P, Umuerri EM, Okumagba MT, Oyibo IA. Sociodemographic predictors of non-communicable diseases risk-related knowledge and behaviours: a cross-sectional study of in-school adolescents in a southern Nigerian State. The Pan African medical journal. 2023; 45: 184. |
[31] | Wang J, Geng L. Effects of Socioeconomic Status on Physical and Psychological Health: Lifestyle as a Mediator. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019; 16(2): 281. |
[32] | Bochud M, Wonkam A, Bovet P, Mooser V. Genetics and NCDs. In: Noncommunicable Diseases: A Compendium. Taylor and Francis; 2023. p. 216–23. |
[33] | Downing KL, Hesketh KD, Timperio A, Salmon J, Moss K, Mishra G. Family history of non-communicable diseases and associations with weight and movement behaviours in Australian school-aged children: A prospective study. BMJ Open. 2020; 10(11). |
[34] | Morgan I, Amerikaner A. Funding gaps: An analysis of school funding equity across the US and within each state. Educ Trust. 2018. |
[35] | Fleary SA, Joseph P, Pappagianopoulos JE. Adolescent health literacy and health behaviours: a systematic review. J Adolesc. 2018; 62: 116–27. |
[36] | Marmot M. Health equity in England: the Marmot review 10 years on. BMJ. 2020; 368. |
[37] | Paakkari L, Inchley J, Schulz A, Weber MW, Okan O. Addressing health literacy in schools in the WHO European Region. Public Health Panorama. 2019; 5(2-3): 186–90. |
APA Style
Enuagwuna, F. C., Tobin-West, C. I., Asiboje, E. T., Wilcox, S. A. (2024). Knowledge of Non-Communicable Diseases Among Adolescents in Public and Private Secondary Schools in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. World Journal of Public Health, 9(4), 354-365. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjph.20240904.15
ACS Style
Enuagwuna, F. C.; Tobin-West, C. I.; Asiboje, E. T.; Wilcox, S. A. Knowledge of Non-Communicable Diseases Among Adolescents in Public and Private Secondary Schools in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. World J. Public Health 2024, 9(4), 354-365. doi: 10.11648/j.wjph.20240904.15
@article{10.11648/j.wjph.20240904.15, author = {Fredrick Chuks Enuagwuna and Charles Ibiene Tobin-West and Efemierhere Tamaramiebibo Asiboje and Shekinah Adonye Wilcox}, title = {Knowledge of Non-Communicable Diseases Among Adolescents in Public and Private Secondary Schools in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria }, journal = {World Journal of Public Health}, volume = {9}, number = {4}, pages = {354-365}, doi = {10.11648/j.wjph.20240904.15}, url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjph.20240904.15}, eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.wjph.20240904.15}, abstract = {Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading causes of poor health and early death globally. Although NCDs are most common in middle to late adulthood, many lifestyle habits that contribute to these diseases begin during adolescence. This research evaluated the knowledge of non-communicable diseases among adolescents in public and private secondary schools in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Methods: The study used a comparative cross-sectional design to collect research data from 640 adolescents. Participants were selected through a multi-stage sampling technique and data was analysed using IBM Statistical Product for the Service Solution version 29. Results: Few respondents from private (6.3%) and public (5.3%) schools had good knowledge, majority from private (75%) and public (66.9) schools had fair knowledge, while 18.8% (private) and 27.8% (public) had poor knowledge on non-communicable diseases. Socioeconomic status and knowledge level were statistically significant (pConclusion: There is need for continuous health education on NCDs risk factors among adolescents to ensure they adopt healthy lifestyles through informed choices to foster good and quality health into adulthood. }, year = {2024} }
TY - JOUR T1 - Knowledge of Non-Communicable Diseases Among Adolescents in Public and Private Secondary Schools in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria AU - Fredrick Chuks Enuagwuna AU - Charles Ibiene Tobin-West AU - Efemierhere Tamaramiebibo Asiboje AU - Shekinah Adonye Wilcox Y1 - 2024/11/22 PY - 2024 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjph.20240904.15 DO - 10.11648/j.wjph.20240904.15 T2 - World Journal of Public Health JF - World Journal of Public Health JO - World Journal of Public Health SP - 354 EP - 365 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2637-6059 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjph.20240904.15 AB - Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading causes of poor health and early death globally. Although NCDs are most common in middle to late adulthood, many lifestyle habits that contribute to these diseases begin during adolescence. This research evaluated the knowledge of non-communicable diseases among adolescents in public and private secondary schools in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Methods: The study used a comparative cross-sectional design to collect research data from 640 adolescents. Participants were selected through a multi-stage sampling technique and data was analysed using IBM Statistical Product for the Service Solution version 29. Results: Few respondents from private (6.3%) and public (5.3%) schools had good knowledge, majority from private (75%) and public (66.9) schools had fair knowledge, while 18.8% (private) and 27.8% (public) had poor knowledge on non-communicable diseases. Socioeconomic status and knowledge level were statistically significant (pConclusion: There is need for continuous health education on NCDs risk factors among adolescents to ensure they adopt healthy lifestyles through informed choices to foster good and quality health into adulthood. VL - 9 IS - 4 ER -