Interpersonal violence in adolescents has over the years grown into a serious public health problem that merits a robust intervention. This study, therefore, assessed the prevalence and predictors of interpersonal violence among in-school adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The study involved a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Global School-based Health Survey conducted between 2012 and 2017 from eight sub-Saharan African countries. A total of 14,967 in-school adolescents aged 10–19 years were included in the pooled analysis. A multivariable binomial logistic regression was used to determine the predictors of interpersonal violence using the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) with their respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The overall prevalence of interpersonal violence among in-school adolescents in SSA was 53.7%. The odds of interpersonal violence were higher among adolescents who were bullied (aOR = 2.52, 95% CI = 2.23–2.85), had an injury (aOR = 2.42, 95% CI = 2.15–2.72), had suicidal attempts (aOR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.16–1.70), were truant (aOR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.33–1.72), used alcohol (aOR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.06–2.11), and used tobacco (aOR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.23–1.74). In-school adolescents with peer support, parents or guardians bonding, those whose parents or guardians respected their privacy, and those aged 15 years or older were less likely to experience interpersonal violence. These factors provide education directors and school heads/teachers with relevant information to guide the design of specific interventions such as parent-teacher meetings and programs, peer educator network system, face-to-face counseling sessions, Rational Emotive Behavioural Education (REBE) and substance use cessation therapy to prevent interpersonal violence, particularly physical fights and attacks in school settings. Also, students should be sensitized on the negative effects of interpersonal violence and those who have been exposed to it should be counselled. School rules should be strengthened and appropriate punishment given to students who engage in violence baheviours in schools in order to deter others from engaging in them.

Background: Injury is one of the major causes of death and illness among children and adolescents worldwide. We sought to investigate the prevalence of serious injury and its associated factors among in-school adolescents in eight countries in sub-Saharan Africa.Methods: A sample of 14,967 in-school adolescents was drawn from the Global School-based Student Health Surveys conducted from 2012 to 2017 in eight sub-Saharan African countries. Data were collected using self-administered structured questionnaires. The prevalence of serious injuries was calculated using proportions while multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was carried out to determine the factors associated with serious injuries.Results: Approximately 45% of in-school adolescents had experienced serious injuries during the past 12 months to the survey in the eight sub-Saharan African countries, with variations from 32.3% in Mauritius to 68.2% in Liberia. Adolescents who experienced bullying [aOR = 2.37, CI = 2.10, 2.68], those who engaged in physical fight [aOR = 2.14, CI = [1.87, 2.44], those who experienced an attack [aOR = 1.96, CI = [1.73, 2.22], those who felt anxious [aOR = 1.47, CI = 1.22,1.77], those who attempted suicide [aOR = 1.38, CI = 1.14, 1.65], truants [aOR = 1.33, CI = [1.17,1.51], current tobacco users [aOR = 1.42, CI = [1.01, 2.01] and current marijuana users [aOR = 1.78, CI = 1.08, 2.93] had higher odds of experiencing serious injuries. However, those whose parents or guardians respected their privacy had lower odds of experiencing serious injuries [aOR =0.78, CI = [0.68, 0.88] compared to those whose parents or guardians did not respect their privacy.Conclusion: A relatively high prevalence of serious injuries among in-school adolescents was identified in the eight sub-Saharan African countries studied. Programs and interventions that target the reduction of injuries in educational institutions should take a keen interest in the factors identified in this study. To deal with injury victims, first aid services should be provided in school settings.

Introduction. Injuries are a major global health problem that affects teenagers in many countries. Though several studies have been done in many countries, little is known among adolescents in Mauritius. Therefore, our paper explored the prevalence and correlates of serious injuries among adolescents in Mauritius. Methods. We analysed the 2017 Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS) data from Mauritius, using the Chi-square test and binomial logistic regression analysis with adjusted odds ratio (AOR) at 95 confidence interval (CI). Results. The prevalence of serious injuries among adolescents in Mauritius stood at 39.0. Also, the predictors of serious injuries included sex (AOR=0.70, CI=0.580.81), physical attack (AOR=0.47, CI=0.390.57), being bullied (AOR=0.48, CI=0.480.70), suicide ideation (AOR=0.65, CI=0.490.85), hunger (AOR=0.65, CI=0.480.86), truancy from school (AOR=0.77, CI=0.630.93), marijuana use (AOR=0.54, CI=0.390.76), alcohol consumption (AOR=0.64, CI=0.700.98), and parental neglect (AOR=0.83, CI=0.700.98). Conclusion. The rate of injury among adolescents in Mauritius is moderately high, with sex, suicidal thought, hunger, truancy, drug use, and parental neglect as correlates. There is an urgent need for health promotion interventions at family, community, and school levels to deal with this level of serious injuries and the factors influencing such occurrences among these adolescents in Mauritius.