Assessment of Puberty Changes Knowledge Scale and Challenges Faced by University Students of Islamabad, Pakistan; A Cross-sectional Survey

Abstract

Objective To assess the knowledge of physical and emotional changes during puberty in male and female university students (18-24 years) in Islamabad Introduction: Puberty is a crucial developmental phase, marked by significant adjustments in physical, emotional, and mental well-being. The ability of university students to cope with the changes of puberty is essential for their academic achievements & overall health, Methodology: A cross-sectional study assessed knowledge of puberty changes among university students (18 – 24 years) in Islamabad. A survey of 175 students was carried out with an effect size of 0.3, a significance threshold of 0.05, and a power of 0.8 through G Power. Results: The overall puberty knowledge score of girls was greater than that of the boys (65 vs 51%). Merely 18% of college students possessed adequate, 42% moderate and 40% possessed low knowledge. According to the logistic regression analysis, students who exercised regularly had a 57% lower likelihood of experiencing emotional challenges than students who did not (Odds Ratio -OR = 0.43, p = 0.03). A 50% lower chance of suffering from mental discomfort was linked to a balanced diet (OR = 0.50, p = 0.04). Students who received mental health support were 67% less likely to face emotional difficulties related to puberty (OR = 0.33, p = 0.01), indicating the strongest protective effect among the factors. Good & adequate sleep reduced the chance of emotional problems by 43% (OR = 0.57). Conclusion: Cultural taboos and lack of health information continue to hinder young people's capacity to effectively manage the changes that come with puberty. This emphasizes the importance of interventions for college students to improve awareness of puberty changes