Stress symptoms and associated factors among adolescents in Dhaka, Bangladesh: findings from a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Stress affects adolescents’ daily lives by disrupting their working capacity and begets comorbidity. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of stress symptoms and the factors associated with these symptoms among secondary school-going adolescents in Bangladesh. METHODS: A cross-sectional study using two-stage cluster sampling was conducted. A self-administered questionnaire was given to 2355 adolescents from nine secondary schools in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Of the respondents, 2313 completed the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Sociodemographic information, self-reported body image, a modified Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (LTEQ), and the WHO Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) were used to determine the sociodemographic and lifestyle factors associated with stress symptoms among adolescents. RESULTS: Findings suggest that about 65% of adolescents experienced moderate stress symptoms, and about 9% experienced high-stress symptoms. Females (58.7%) suffered more from stress compared to males (41.3%). Age, grade, and residential setting were significantly associated with stress. Logistic regression estimates show that level of physical activity (AOR: 1.52; 95% CI:1.26–1.84), sleep dissatisfaction (AOR: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.07–1.65), and perception of self as overweight/obese (AOR: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.13–1.89) were significantly associated with stress symptoms among adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Stress symptoms are highly prevalent among secondary school adolescents in Bangladesh. Further exploratory investigations are needed on possible intervention strategies to reduce the burden of stress among adolescents. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12888-022-04340-0.