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
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
Conceptual Framework
METHODS
Research Design and Sampling
Data Collection Instrument and Measures
Data Collection and Data Analysis
RESULTS
Personal Characteristics of the Respondents
Lifestyle Pattern of the Respondents
Presence and Use of Protective Mechanisms
Health Conditions of the Respondents
Factors Associated with Their Health Conditions
DISCUSSION
Health Conditions of Adolescent Left behind by OFW-Parents
Factors Associated with the Health Conditions of Adolescent Left Behind by OFW Parents
CONCLUSION
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This study aims to examine the health conditions of adolescents (aged 13-17) left behind by Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) parents, specifically investigating how these conditions correlate with personal characteristics, lifestyle habits, and protective mechanisms.
- Analysis of the physical, emotional, psychological, social, and spiritual health domains.
- Evaluation of the impact of parental absence on adolescent development and coping strategies.
- Identification of predictive factors—such as sex, family size, and hygiene habits—influencing overall health outcomes.
- Assessment of the role of protective mechanisms, like parent-child attachment, in managing the challenges of migration-induced family separation.
Excerpt from the Study
Health Conditions of Adolescent Left behind by OFW-Parents
The respondents rated their overall health condition as good. Looking at the domains of their health condition, they rated their physical and psychological health domains very good, their emotional health good, and their social and spiritual health domains as fair or moderately healthy. While they rated their overall health condition as good, examining each of the health domains showed the need to scrutinize beyond their overall rating of their health condition. The physical absence of one parent or both parents due to foreign employment could be psychologically rationalized by the respondents due to its economic benefits, rating their emotional health as merely good signals their emotional struggle brought by the physical absence of one or both parents which essentially confirm the studies of Battistella & Conaco (1998) and Smeekens (2013) that children left behind by OFWs parents as more lonely compared to children with both parents living with them which negates the findings of Asis & Ruiz-Marave (2010) previous study. Also, as the social and spiritual health domains were only rated fair or moderately healthy by the respondents, it can be clearly deduced that these two domains are at a higher risk compared to the other three domains of health. The need to mitigate the negative impact of parental absenteeism, due to their foreign employment, on these two domains is crucial to the normal development of the child.
Summary of Chapters
INTRODUCTION: Provides background on international labor migration from the Philippines and discusses the importance of adolescent health within the context of family systems theory.
METHODS: Details the descriptive research design, multi-stage cluster sampling, and the use of structured questionnaires to collect data from 400 school-going adolescents in Laguna.
RESULTS: Presents findings on the respondents' personal profiles, their lifestyle habits, protective mechanisms, and the statistical association between these factors and their self-rated health.
DISCUSSION: Analyzes the study results by highlighting that while adolescents generally perceive themselves as healthy, their social and spiritual well-being remains vulnerable due to parental absence.
CONCLUSION: Summarizes the study's findings, emphasizing the need for targeted support programs to strengthen the social and spiritual health of left-behind children.
Keywords
international labor migration, children left-behind, adolescent, health, parents working abroad, Overseas Filipino workers, Philippines, protective mechanisms, lifestyle patterns, parental absenteeism, family systems theory, social health, spiritual health, migrant remittances, adolescent development
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The study investigates the health conditions of adolescents who remain in the Philippines while one or both of their parents work abroad as Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
What are the central thematic areas?
The core themes include physical, emotional, psychological, social, and spiritual health, alongside an assessment of lifestyle habits and the protective mechanisms adolescents utilize to cope with parental absence.
What is the primary research goal?
The primary goal is to determine the association between the health outcomes of left-behind adolescents and their personal characteristics, lifestyle choices, and the protective factors they employ.
Which research methodology was utilized?
The research employed a quantitative approach using a descriptive research design, involving a survey of 400 adolescents via structured, group-administered questionnaires and multivariate ordinal logistic regression for data analysis.
What topics are explored in the main body of the paper?
The main body covers the conceptual framework of family systems, research design and sampling, data collection tools, a detailed presentation of statistical results, and an in-depth discussion of how parental migration impacts specific health domains.
How are the study's findings characterized by keywords?
Key terms include international labor migration, children left-behind, health, protective mechanisms, lifestyle patterns, and parental absenteeism.
Did the study find any significant differences based on gender?
Yes, the study identified that female respondents generally perceived themselves to be in a better overall health condition compared to male adolescents.
Why are social and spiritual health domains considered particularly vulnerable?
These domains were rated lower (fair/moderate) than physical or psychological health, suggesting they are the areas most negatively affected by the absence of parents, particularly mothers, who typically guide value formation.
- Citation du texte
- Myla Arcinas (Auteur), 2018, Self-rated Health Condition of Adolescents Left Behind by Migrant Parents from the Philippines, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/431794
