This study examined the association of the health conditions of adolescents left behind by their Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW)-parent/s working abroad with their personal characteristics, lifestyle patterns, and use of protective mechanisms. Using a multi-stage sampling design, 400 school-going adolescents aged 13-17 were surveyed, with the use of a group administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate ordinal logistic regression.
Overall, the adolescents were found to be in good health. Of the five domains of health examined, their social and spiritual health domains were found to be moderately healthy, compared to their emotional health condition with a good rating, and their physical and psychological health conditions with very good health ratings. Their overall health condition was tested for association with their personal characteristics, statistically significant predictors found were adolescents’ sex and family size. Females have better overall health condition compared to male adolescents, and those who belong to a family with > 6 members have better overall health condition compared to those <6. On their lifestyle pattern, those with good nutrition, good hygiene practices, and less engagement with vices have a better overall health condition. On the use of protective mechanisms, those with a strong attachment to their OFW parent/s were found to have a better overall health condition and able to manage challenges of parent absenteeism. Their spiritual health condition was negatively affected the most by the absence of the OFW mother while their social health condition was found to be negatively affected by their erratic communication pattern with the parent/s away.
Keywords: international labor migration, children left-behind, adolescent, health, parents working abroad, Overseas Filipino workers, Philippines
At a glance
- Survey of 400 school-going adolescents aged 13–17
- Participants recruited through schools in two Calamba barangays, Laguna
- Multivariate ordinal logistic regression examines predictors of adolescent health
- 81 sources in the bibliography
- 1 figure and 6 tables
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Conceptual Framework
2. METHODS
2.1 Research Design and Sampling
2.2 Data Collection Instrument and Measures
2.3 Data Collection and Data Analysis
3. RESULTS
3.1 Personal Characteristics of the Respondents
3.2 Lifestyle Pattern of the Respondents
3.3 Presence and Use of Protective Mechanisms
3.4 Health Conditions of the Respondents
3.5 Factors Associated with Their Health Conditions
4. DISCUSSION
4.1 Health Conditions of Adolescent Left behind by OFW-Parents
4.2 Factors Associated with the Health Conditions of Adolescent Left Behind by OFW-Parents
5. CONCLUSION
Objectives and Key Themes
This study examines the self-rated health of adolescents whose parents work abroad as Overseas Filipino Workers. It asks how personal and family characteristics, lifestyle patterns, and protective mechanisms are associated with and predict their health conditions.
- Parental labor migration and family relationships
- Physical, psychological, emotional, social, and spiritual health
- Nutrition, hygiene, sleep, and personal interests
- Parent-child attachment, communication, and social support
- Survey research and predictors of self-rated health
Excerpt from the Book
Conceptual Framework
The family systems theory, introduced by Murray Bowen (n.d.), views the family as a dynamic, interactive unit that undergoes continual evolvement in structure and function as it relates with the supra-system. Families are seen as systems of interconnected and interdependent individuals, none of which can be understood in isolation from the system. There are subsystems that are discrete units, such as mother-father, sister-brother, and parent-child [father-child and mother-child]) and there is a supra-system (the society/community). The main functions of the family are to provide support, regulation, nurturance, and socialization; specific aspects of the functions change as the subsystems interact with the supra-system. The change in functions or roles may maintain the stability of the family as a unit or a subsystem within a family, but it may also lead to dysfunctions that affects the family as a unit or members of the family or its subsystems.
The wave of international labor migration from the Philippines has started over forty years ago. Around 11 million Filipinos are spread over different parts of the world (CFO, 2013). As Filipinos migrate outside the country for employment, many families need to live away from a family member working abroad. While the benefits of remittances sent by Filipinos abroad to the country’s economy and their families cannot be denied (Parreñas, 2006), the structure and function of the family slowly evolves to accommodate the demand for more Filipinos to work abroad. The Family Systems Theory allows one to understand the organizational complexity of families, as well as the interactive patterns that guide family interactions.
OFW families are unique and complex in themselves. As many Filipino migrants are parents with children, many children need to live away from their OFW parents. The migratory separation between one parent or both parents and the child is thus a natural consequence (Asis & Ruiz-Marave, 2010) that disrupts the family structure and function. This could affect the state of health of the children left behind. International labor migration of the parents disrupts the parent-child subsystem which could be distressing, more so for the child left behind. This study examines the health conditions of adolescents that is, those 13 to 17 years of age left behind by OFW-parents. It has also aimed to examine the association of their health conditions with their personal characteristics, lifestyle patterns, and use of protective mechanisms (see Figure 1).
Chapter Summaries
INTRODUCTION: The study situates adolescent health within Filipino labor migration and parental separation. Its conceptual framework draws on family systems theory to connect family relationships, lifestyle, and protective mechanisms with health.
METHODS: The author describes a quantitative survey of 400 school-going adolescents in Laguna, the questionnaire measures, and the sampling and analysis procedures. Descriptive statistics and multivariate ordinal logistic regression are used to examine health and its potential predictors.
RESULTS: The chapter presents respondents’ characteristics, lifestyles, protective mechanisms, and health ratings. It also reports statistical analyses of factors associated with overall health and individual health domains.
DISCUSSION: The author interprets the health ratings and associations in relation to family relationships, lifestyle practices, and earlier research. Particular attention is given to social and spiritual health and to attachment to a parent working abroad.
CONCLUSION: The final chapter brings together the main findings and proposes attention to social and spiritual health and family relationships. It also identifies reproductive health and the perspectives of parents and caregivers as subjects for further research.
Keywords
international labor migration, Overseas Filipino Workers, adolescents, children left behind, self-rated health, parental migration, family systems theory, lifestyle patterns, protective mechanisms, parent-child attachment, social health, spiritual health, ordinal logistic regression, Philippines
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this study about?
It examines the self-rated health of Filipino adolescents with one or both parents working abroad.
What are the main themes?
The study focuses on health, parental migration, family characteristics, lifestyle, and protective mechanisms.
What question guides the research?
The study asks how adolescents’ health is associated with their personal characteristics, lifestyle patterns, and use of protective mechanisms.
What research method does the author use?
The author uses a quantitative survey with a structured questionnaire, descriptive statistics, and multivariate ordinal logistic regression.
What does the main analysis cover?
It presents respondents’ characteristics, lifestyle patterns, protective mechanisms, health ratings, and factors associated with those ratings.
Which keywords characterize the study?
Key terms include parental migration, adolescents left behind, self-rated health, family systems, protective mechanisms, and the Philippines.
Who took part in the survey?
The survey included 400 school-going adolescents aged 13–17 in Laguna whose parents worked abroad.
Which dimensions of health are examined?
The study examines physical, psychological, emotional, social, and spiritual health.
How does the study approach family relationships?
It uses family systems theory and examines protective mechanisms including attachment to the parent abroad, communication, family resilience, and social support.
- Quote paper
- Myla Arcinas (Author), 2018, Self-rated Health Condition of Adolescents Left Behind by Migrant Parents from the Philippines, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/431794
