KUALA LUMPUR: A Health Ministry study found that 16 per cent of the country’s teenagers were involved in bullying, 13 per cent smoked, seven per cent in sexual activities and six per cent in suicide attempts.
Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the finding was the result of the 2017 Adolescent Health Survey by his ministry involving adolescents between the ages of 13 and 17.
More accurately, the study found that 16.2 per cent of adolescents had been involved in bullying problems, 13.8 per cent of teens in the same age were smoking, sexual activities (7.3 per cent) and suicide attempts (6.8 per cent).
In the meantime, the study found that 10.8 per cent of teenagers aged 12 to 13 took alcoholic beverages, he said when closing the national level 2018 Health Promotion in Learning Institutions (HePiLi) convention and the launch of the ‘Tunas Doktor Muda’ programme at the International Islamic University Malaysia here.
“This should be a wake up call for all to face such challenges with a serious approach,” he said, adding that health activities such as ‘Tunas Doktor Muda’ could help the government to create a healthy and healthy society.
However, he did not furnish sample details of the study.--BERNAMA