ISSN : 2663-2187

EXPLORING CO-MORBIDITY PATTERNS AMONG MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS: A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS

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Rafia Khan, Dr. Harish Mittu
ยป doi: 10.33472/AFJBS.6.13.2024.3918-3929

Abstract

Background & Purpose: The objective of this study was to identify the various combinations of patterns of co-morbidity among middle school students in Jammu Province to address the difficulties of these interconnected diseases Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 10 districts of Jammu province, focusing on students from 70 government middle schools within the age group of 11-15 years. The study investigated 10 disorders, including five learning disorders i.e., Dyslexia (Dys-L), Dysgraphia (Dys-G), Dyscalculia (Dys-C), Dysphasia (Dys-P), and Dyspraxia (Dys-Pr), as well as Anxiety (Anx), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Autism Disorder (AD), and Tic disorder (TD). A self-constructed battery, known as the Identification Battery on Co-morbid conditions (IBCC), was administered on 1084 students out of which 224 students were identified with co-morbid conditions. Result: The findings of the study indicated that the prevalence of the Dys-L & Dys-C; Dys-L, Dys-G& Dys-C; Dys-L, Dys-G, Dys-C & Dys-P; and Dys-L, Dys-G, Dys-C, Anx. & ADHD were highest among 16.07%, 39.28%, 4.01% and 2.23% of students with Combinations of two, three, four & five disorders respectively. The present study also includes a discussion on the pattern matrix of co-morbid conditions, examining primary & secondary disabilities. The prevalence of primary and secondary disabilities among middle school students varies significantly. Conclusion: These findings have enormous promise for guiding educators, policymakers, and healthcare professionals in developing focused treatments and support systems that are customized to the different needs of students with co-morbid disorders.

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