ESPE Abstracts

Introduction: Puberty is a very sensitive period in the life of every adolescent. Having enough knowledge about this physiological phenomenon would allow them to better understand the morphological and psychological changes and to better accept themselves. And therefore, to know how to distinguish between what is pathological and what is normal. This awareness is crucial to diagnose pubertal pathology in time. Hence the important role of school medicine in ensuring that all schoolgirls are well prepared for these changes.

Objectives: To assess schoolgirls' knowledge of body, psychological and behavioral changes during puberty.

Methods: We conducted a quantitative cross-sectional observational study by anonymous questionnaire over 2 months (February, March 2023). It included children aged between 9 and 14 years. The statistical analysis was done through SPSS 23.0 software, including the description (frequency and percentage).

Results: One hundred and nine schoolgirls were collected. The average age was 11 years. Most of girls came from families with an average socio-economic level. Almost half of the respondents did not know what puberty is but recognized the normal age of puberty. Almost half recognized the first sign of puberty while 37% did not know the last sign of puberty. In 59% of the cases, the adolescents did not know that the palpation of a lump in the breast indicates a visit to the doctor, as well as very painful periods (39%). As for psychological changes during puberty, 51% did not recognize any signs that would prompt medical advice. Indeed, 39% indicated that increased appetite was part of the behavioral changes of puberty, while 50% were unable to recognize any signs. Bulimia or anorexia were reasons for seeking medical attention for nearly 60% of the schoolgirls, while only 15% thought that having sexual behavior problems required medical attention.

Conclusion: There is a lot of information that schoolgirls do not know about possible changes during puberty. It is therefore incumbent upon the education sector to ensure that all students are prepared for these changes and to make them aware of any pubertal pathologies so that early diagnosis can be made.