Table 2.
Background characteristics of the school-going adolescents in Ghana (n = 3592).
| Factor | Variable | Frequency | Percent (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demographic factors | |||
| Sex | Male | 1914 | 53.3 |
| Female | 1641 | 45.7 | |
| Missing | 37 | 1.0 | |
| Educational level | |||
| JHS | 1603 | 44.6 | |
| SHS | 1974 | 55.0 | |
| Missing | 15 | 0.4 | |
| Age category | |||
| 12–14 | 842 | 23.4 | |
| 15–17 | 1549 | 43.1 | |
| 18+ | 1182 | 32.9 | |
| Missing | 19 | 0.5 | |
| Went hungry | |||
| Yes | 503 | 14.0 | |
| No | 3078 | 85.7 | |
| Missing | 11 | 0.3 | |
| Close friends | |||
| 0 | 452 | 12.6 | |
| ≥1 | 3098 | 86.2 | |
| Missing | 42 | 1.2 | |
|
| |||
| Mental health factors | |||
| Suicide ideation | Yes | 680 | 18.9 |
| No | 2870 | 79.9 | |
| Missing | 42 | 1.2 | |
| Suicide planning | |||
| Yes | 806 | 22.4 | |
| No | 2694 | 75.0 | |
| Missing | 92 | 2.6 | |
| Suicide attempt | |||
| Yes | 887 | 24.7 | |
| No | 2666 | 74.2 | |
| Missing | 39 | 1.1 | |
|
| |||
| Personal attributes | |||
| Truancy | Yes | 1295 | 36.0 |
| No | 2244 | 62.5 | |
| Missing | 53 | 1.5 | |
| Amphetamine use | Yes | 232 | 6.5 |
| No | 3072 | 85.5 | |
| Missing | 288 | 8.0 | |
| Current drinker (alcohol) | Yes | 464 | 12.9 |
| No | 2858 | 79.6 | |
| Missing | 270 | 7.5 | |
| Current smoker (marijuana) | Yes | 181 | 5.0 |
| No | 3259 | 90.7 | |
| Missing | 152 | 4.2 | |