Prevalence and correlates of truancy among in-school adolescents in Ghana: evidence from the 2012 Global School-based Student Health Survey

Abstract

This study examined the prevalence and correlates of truancy among adolescents in Ghana using the 2012 Global School-based Health Survey. A sample of 1 430 adolescents was used for the study. The prevalence of truancy was 31%. In the multivariate analysis, we found that those in grade 4 of senior high school (OR = 4.0, 95% CI = 2.81, 5.83), those who felt hungry in school (OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.14, 1.94), those who used tobacco (OR = 2.31, 95% CI = 1.32, 4.03), those who used alcohol (OR = 2.32, 95% CI = 1.63, 3.29), those who engaged in physical fights (OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.31, 2.27), and those who sustained an injury (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.02, 1.73) were respectively more likely to report being truant than those in grade 1 of senior high school, those who did not go hungry in school, those who did not use tobacco, those who did not use alcohol, those who did not sustain an injury, and those who did not engage in physical fights. Adolescents whose parents or guardians checked their homework were also less likely (OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.51, 0.84) to report being truant, compared to those whose parents did not check their homework. We found a high prevalence of truancy among adolescents in Ghana. These findings underscore the need for all stakeholders to actively intervene to reduce truancy among school adolescents, taking into consideration the associated factors.