Abstract
This chapter highlights patterns of health-risk behaviors among adolescents from Arabic-speaking regions. It provides a synthesis of the literature on diverse health-risk behaviors including dietary behaviors, physical activity, sedentary behaviors, tobacco smoking, consumption of prohibited substances, over-the-counter medication use, and other less common health-risk behaviors. Lastly, the topic of health care and accessibility for adolescents from Arab nations is examined. Arab nations are composed of the 22 states of the Arab League. Despite their commonalities revolving around language and some cultural or religious practices, there are recognizable sociodemographic and economic differences. These differences, among other factors, affect the health and behaviors of adolescents living in Arab nations. A large population of youth reside in Arab nations, with approximately 20% aged between 10 and 19 years. This chapter provides evidence in support of the need for research and action in relation to health-risk behaviors among adolescents who reside in Arab nations. While research on dietary behaviors, physical activity, and tobacco smoking are documented, more action research that addresses these health-risk behaviors is needed. Additional research areas that are under-studied include sexuality, substance abuse, sleep issues, hygiene practices, and sun exposure of adolescents from Arab nations.
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Barakat, C., Yousufzai, S. (2020). Health-Risk Behaviors of Adolescents from Arab Nations. In: Laher, I. (eds) Handbook of Healthcare in the Arab World. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74365-3_24-1
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