Peer-reviewed article
Adolescents with close relatives affected by severe health conditions: prevalence and psychosocial correlates of mental well-being in a Swedish cross-sectional school-based study.
Van Geerenstein E, Hermann V, Söderqvist F ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This Swedish study surveyed 4,140 adolescents aged 15-18 years and found that half had at least one close relative with a severe health condition. Adolescents with affected relatives reported significantly lower mental well-being than those without. When adjusted for other factors, substance abuse in a close relative remained most strongly associated with reduced mental well-being. General stress levels and access to someone to confide in were the strongest predictors of mental well-being among these adolescents.
Key points
- 50% of adolescents reported having at least one close relative with a severe health condition (31% one relative, 19% multiple relatives)
- Adolescents with affected relatives had significantly lower mean mental well-being scores than those without
- Substance abuse in a close relative remained associated with lower mental well-being after adjusting for confounding factors
- General stress and perceived availability of someone to confide in were strongly associated with mental well-being
- Associations with other specific health conditions were attenuated in fully adjusted models
Limitations
The cross-sectional design prevents determination of causality or temporal relationships between RSHC and mental well-being. The study was conducted in one Swedish county and may not be generalisable to other populations or settings.
Abstract
Background Adolescents living with a close relative with severe health conditions (RSHC) may experience challenges affecting their mental well-being. Previous research has largely focused on caregiving roles or specific illnesses while less is known about broader populations of adolescents with RSHC. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of adolescents with RSHC and to examine associations with mental well-being across different sociodemographic and psychosocial contexts. Methods The data were drawn from a cross-sectional, population-based school survey conducted in Örebro County, Sweden, which included 4 140 adolescents aged 15-18 years. Mental well-being was assessed using the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form. Sequentially adjusted linear regression stratified by gender was used to examine associations between RSHC and mental well-being, accounting for key factors. Results Half of the adolescents (n=2 212) reported having at least one RSHC, with 31% reporting one and 19% reporting several RSHCs. Adolescents with RSHC reported significantly lower mean mental well-being than those without RSHC. In the fully adjusted model, substance abuse in a close relative remained associated with lower mental well-being, whereas associations for other RSHC types were attenuated. General stress and perceived availability of someone to confide in were strongly associated with mental well-being. Conclusion Having a relative with RSHC is common among adolescents and is associated with lower mental well-being, particularly when close relatives are affected by substance abuse. The findings suggest that adolescent mental well-being in the context of RSHC is shaped by broader psychosocial factors, including stress and available support.