[Health status of young-adolescents in Italy].
OBJECTIVE
This study presents the prevalence of different somatic and psychological complains in a sample of Italians early-adolescents and adolescents. Aim of the study is to verify sex and age (11, 13 and 15) differences in a variety of symptoms.


METHODS
The survey is part of the larger Health Behaviour in School Aged Children (HBSC) trans-national study co-ordinated by the European Office of the World Health Organization. The data were gathered through self-completion questionnaire. The main areas covered in the questionnaire were health and health behaviour.


METHODS
151 middle school and 92 high school randomly retrieved from the list of the Italian public and private school.


METHODS
The questionnaire was filled out by a representative sample of 4,386 (48.4% males) Italian early adolescents.


METHODS
Psychological and somatic complains.


RESULTS
Results revealed an increase of health problem with age, and these increases being greater for females than males.


CONCLUSIONS
Increasing morbidity for female occurs during transitions phase of early-adolescence.
Santinello
Massimo
M
Dipartimento di psicologia dello sviluppo e della socializzazione, Università di Padova, LIRIPAC Laboratori interdipartimentali per la ricerca psicologica applicata e clinica. massimo.santinello@unipd.it
Vieno
Alessio
A
Cavallo
Franco
F
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000453:epidemiology; D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D004244:Dizziness / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000453:epidemiology; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007508:Irritable Mood; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires