Common Health Problems among Adolescents Attending a Screening Camp in a Medical College of Haryana: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the physical health of adolescents including BMI and assess the burden of common health problems among adolescents. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a screening camp held in a medical college in the year 2024 in Haryana after taking ethical approval from the Institutional Ethics committee. A total of 378 adolescents were included in the study. Data was collected using a semi structured, pretested, interview schedule which included Socio-demographic details, clinical history and physical examination of the participants. Results: The mean age, weight and height of participants were 15.78 years, 54.66 kg and 163.79 cm, respectively. Majority of them were Hindus (96%), with small percentages being Muslim (2.4%) and others i.e. Sikh, Christians (1.6%). A smaller proportion (10.8%) were overweight, 3.2% of them were obese. 19.8% were thin and 2.6% were severely thin. 16.1% of them were having pallor .7.4 % of the participants had abnormal visual acuity. An extremely small percentage (0.5%a) had hearing loss.6.8% of participants were diagnosed as having the nasal septum deviation. A significant proportion had decaying teeth, i.e. 20.9%. There was a significant difference in the presence of pallor, in use of spectacles and presence of tonsillitis. Conclusion: This study reveals that a number of common health problems affecting this age group can be diagnosed in a health check-up camp. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment can reduce morbidity and improve the quality of life of adolescents in Haryana.