Gender and spatial variation of loneliness among adolescents in three South Asia countries: Prevalence and its correlates

Abstract

Abstract Background The study aimed to explore the gender and spatial variation of loneliness and identify its correlates among in-school adolescents in three South Asian countries.Methods We used Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan's latest Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) datasets. A total of 8089 adolescent data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression models after controlling socio-demographic variables. We used STATA 14 to perform the analyses.Results The prevalence of loneliness among male respondents was 12.28 [95% CI: 11.3–13.3] and 18.1 [95% CI: 16.8–19.5] in females. Afghan adolescents' prevalence of loneliness was the height (34.8%), followed by Pakistani (11.4%) and Bangladeshi adolescents (8.4%). For both genders (male and female), loneliness was higher among the adolescents who were school truants, bullied, involved in physical fights, and experienced physical attacks. In addition, both male and female adolescents with anxiety-induced sleep disturbance, current tobacco users, and suicidal ideation had significantly higher odds of loneliness than their counterparts. Moreover, several poor mental health conditions, such as anxiety-induced sleep disturbance, bullying, suicidal ideation, and suicide plan, were significantly associated with higher odds of loneliness among in-school adolescents in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Besides, respondents involved in physical fights were more likely to be lonely.Conclusion We explored the gender and spatial variation of loneliness among adolescents in three South Asian countries and found several similarities and differences in prevalence and correlates of loneliness between various sub-groups. Gender-sensitive and spatial target-oriented policies and interventions should be developed and implemented urgently to reduce the prevalence of adolescent loneliness in these three countries. More studies are also recommended to explore the relationship between loneliness and socio-economic, environmental, and health-behavioral factors among adolescents in these countries.