Prevalence of cyberbullying and associated factors among adolescents in Dubai schools: complex design survey – 2019

ABSTRACT

Cyberbullying is a recognized public health threat with established links to physical and mental health problems. A 2-stage stratified random cluster analysis of data from a self-administered survey on health-related behaviours including 1,683 adolescents from 28 government and private schools estimated the prevalence of cyberbullying and examined potentially related psychological and behavioural factors. We identified loneliness, sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, sadness, lack of parental understanding, tobacco use, school absenteeism, and physical fights as associated factors. However, logistic regression found statistically significant higher odds only for experiencing sadness and loneliness, school absenteeism and physical fights, indicating reduction in these factors as the primary goals of comprehensive cyberbullying prevention programs to protect the health and wellbeing of adolescent.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescent health
• cyberbullying
• mental health
• prevalence
• United Arab Emirates

Acknowledgement

The authors appreciate the contribution of the Adolescent Risk Behavioural Survey Working Team 2019, and all staff of Public Health Program & Studies Section & School Health Section of Public Health Protection Department. Also our thanks to the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP), Ministry of Education and all participating students and schools.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are not publicly available due to the organizations administrative policy and procedures. However, the data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Dubai Health Authority.

Notes on contributors

Sabya Farooq

Dr. Sabya Farooq. Holds a MBBS from Queen Mary University of London, Ph.D. & M.Sc. in Public Health & Epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Currently working as a senior researcher at programs and studies section in the Public Health Protection Department, Dubai Health Authority. Research interests include adolescent health, mental health, non-communicable diseases and population health.

Mona Abdullatif

Dr. Mona Abdullatif. Consultant Community Medicine from the Arab Board of Health Specializations (ABHS). Currently, a senior researcher at programs and studies section in the Public Health Protection Department, Dubai Health Authority. Research interests include adolescent health, mental health, community health and epidemiology.

Ayesha Altheeb

Dr. Ayesha Altheeb. Consultant Community Medicine from the Arab Board of Health Specializations (ABHS), M.Sc. Quality and Safety in Health Care Management (RCSI). Head of Public Health Programs and Studies Section and Senior Researcher in the Public Health Protection Department, Dubai Health Authority. Research interests include adolescent health, mental health, non-communicable diseases, environmental health and population health.