ISSN: 2320-5407 Int. J. Adv. Res.

9(10), 1017-1021

Journal Homepage: -www.journalijar.com

Article DOI:10.21474/IJAR01/13643
DOI URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.21474/IJAR01/13643

RESEARCH ARTICLE
Health Seeking Behavior as a Predictor of Adolescent's Security Consciousness

Benjamin Ojotu1 and Thomas Adubika2

1. Department of Physical and Health Education Kogi State College of Education, Ankpa.
2. Department of Library and Information Science Kogi State College of Education, Ankpa.
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Manuscript Info Abstract
……………………. ………………………………………………………………
Manuscript History Nigeria is witnessing a disturbing rise of violence occasioned by
Received: 31 August 2021 religious, political, economic, cultural, and social motives. The
Final Accepted: 30 September 2021 incidence of violent crimes has created an unimaginable insecurity
Published: October 2021 situation in the country, and the trend is increasing daily. Violent
insecurity ranges from kidnapping, rape, armed robbery, terrorism,
Key words:-
HSB, Security Consciousness, banditry, and assassinations. Meanwhile, the citizens, especially the
Adolescents younger ones, are caught in the center of these violent situations as they
are either used to commit crimes or fall victims of violent crimes. Thus,
the primary purpose of this study was to examine health-seeking
behavior as a factor that could predict security consciousness among
adolescents. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design. Two
hundred samples randomly pooled from public tertiary institutions in
Kogi State, Nigeria, participated in the study. The participants
completed self-report measures of security consciousness questionnaire
and health-seeking behavior scale. A simple regression model
established a statistically significant association between HSB and
security consciousness among adolescents. The study concludes that
health-seeking behavior is an essential determinant of security
consciousness. The practical implication of the study is discussed.

Copy Right, IJAR, 2021, All rights reserved.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………....
Introduction:-
The nature of insecurity at the global level is changing rapidly (Omonijo et al., 2017). There has been an increasing
trend of security challenges across the universe, and Nigeria as a Nation is not exempted. The security situation in
Nigeria has become enormous and embarrassing to the government(Robert-Okah, 2014). The incidence of violent
crime has continued to take a toll in Nigeria over the last three decades(Abiodun et al., 2021). In recent years,
Nigeria has witnessed unprecedented security challenges occasioned by the activities of militants in the south-south
region, kidnappers in the southeast, violent armed robbery in almost all parts of the country, political assassination,
ritual killings, Boko Haram in some parts of the northern region especially northeast, and most recently the activities
of the bandits(Udeh, 2013).

Extensive literature has been devoted to the security situations and safety issues in Nigeria(Achumba & Ighomereho,
2013; Akpor-Robaro & Lanre-Babalola, 2018; Aleyomi & Nwagwu, 2020; Dambazau, 2014; Hassan, 2014; Igwe,
2020; Oyinloye, 2019; Uzodike & Maiangwa, 2012; Yahaya et al., 2018). Nigeria has experienced an upsurge in
violent activities that threaten and endanger its national security (Okedion, 2021). The growing insecurity in the
country implies the presence or anxiety of threat to life and property and an unconducive environment for the people

Corresponding Author:- Benjamin Ojotu 1017

Address:- Department of Physical and Health Education Kogi State College of Education, Ankpa.
ISSN: 2320-5407 Int. J. Adv. Res. 9(10), 1017-1021

to pursue their legitimate interest within the society(Robert-Okah, 2014).The Nigerian society is currently
witnessing a disturbing trend of insecurity implicated in the continuous upsurge in violent attacks on individuals,
religious, and government institutions. Violent criminality and insecurity are pervasive across Nigeria as terrorists,
ethnic militias, armed robbers, political assassins, kidnappers, and bandits have gone on the rampage(Aghedo,
2015). The problem of violence in Nigeria has become more worrisome, especially when the security agencies are
engulfed in violent situations (Odoma, 2014), thus escalating the trend of insecurity.

Previous studies have implicated young people in the scourge of insecurities (Otabor& Olaniyi, 2011). Perhaps, it
could be argued that young people are at the center of violent insecurities because they are used to perpetrate crime
or fall victims to criminal situations. Security consciousness in this study refers to the state of being aware, knowing,
and the ability to recognize and avoid acts capable of causing harm to oneself and others. In other words, a lack of
security consciousness denotes total ignorance of the scourge of insecurities in the country, which have accounted
for the loss of many lives and properties andaffected the socio-economic development of Nigeria. Perhaps, safety
awareness has been associated with increased safety behavior (Uzuntarla et al., 2020). Thus, the present study seeks
to examine the relationship between health-seeking behavior and security consciousness.

Health-seeking behavior is a fundamental prerequisite to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and peaceful co-existence.
Health-seeking behavior is conceptualized as an approach that enables individuals to increase well-being and
maintain safety and good health. HSB promotes consciousness, facilitates preventive motives, decreases morbidities,
and improves the quality of life. The frequency and pervasiveness of crime in contemporary Nigeria is well
documented(Adeyemi et al., 2021; Adzande & Gyuse, 2017; Ajala & Owabumoye, 2018; Ajayi & Ajayi, 2014;
Akanji, 2015; Badiora & Abegunde, 2015; Ibrahim & Ahmad, 2020; Nwankwo & James, 2016; Okoli & Agada,
2014; Ukachukwu & Naetor, 2020). However, a health-seeking lifestyle is a multi-dimensional pattern of self-
initiated feelings and behaviors to ensure an individual's safety, self-actualization, and healthy living. Perhaps,
HSBentails avoiding participation in an act capable of hurting others and oneself, reporting suspected danger,
avoiding vulnerable areas, and complying with security guidelines.

Consequently, security consciousness is considered an essential component in well-being. Health-promoting

behavior among adolescents has become a research focus worldwide (Wang et al., 2009). Adolescence is the period
of dynamic transition from childhood to adulthood and is associated with rapid changes in body, mind, and social
relationships (Wang et al., 2009). Adolescents are more vulnerable to the incidence of violent insecurity. Most
youngsters engage in inappropriate health behavior such as joining cultism and being used to perpetrate crime and
be less conscious of their surroundings. The primary purpose of the current study is to explore health-seeking
behavior as a factor that could account for the variance in security consciousness among adolescents. Thus, it is
hypothesized that health-seeking behavior will significantly predict security consciousness among adolescents.

Method:-
The research adopted a cross-sectional survey. The population of this study includes young people within the age
range of 18 – 35 years. They were randomly selected from three public tertiary institutions in Kogi State, Nigeria.
The samples constitute males and females, comprising 122 males and 117 females. They were approached between
July and August 2021. They were asked to participate in a study to ascertain their understanding of the prevalence of
violent crimes in the country. However, they were informed that participation in the survey was voluntary and
entailed no harm. In all, 223 persons consented to participate in the study and were given the study's instrument. In
total, 200 copies of the questionnaires were returned acceptably. However, other copies were either filled incorrectly
or unreturned. Thus, the study made use of the 200 completed forms.

Measures:-
Safety consciousness was assessed using a 15-item Security Consciousness Questionnaire (SCQ) designed to
determine a person's level of security consciousness with demographic information. The instrument is answered in a
four-point Likert response type scale ranging from strongly disagree to agree strongly. The higher scores determine
high-security consciousness, and the lower score meaning low-security consciousness.

HSBwas measured with a questionnaire designed to ascertain the general health-seeking attitude of the participants.
The 15-item scale was rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale (1 = Never, 5 = Always). A higher score on this scale

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indicates positive health-seeking behavior. The instrument was validated following a pilot study, and .87 Cronbach's
alpha was obtained.

Result:-
The data collected with the measurement scales were subjected to statistical manipulation to test the study's
hypothesis stating that health-seeking behavior would significantly predict security consciousness among
adolescents. A simple regression analysis was conducted, and the result revealed a statistically significant effect of
health-seeking behavior on the participant's security consciousness at F (1,198), 63.063, P<.000. The adjusted
R2showed that the independent variable contributed 67.8% of the variation in security consciousness among the
adolescents.

Table 1:- Table showing the result of the simple regression analysis conducted to determine the influence of HSBon
security consciousness.

95% CI for B
________________
B LL UL SEB β R2 t Sig

Constant 2.35 2.08 2.61 .13 17.58 .000

HSB -.47 -.59 -.39 .06 -.47 .678 -7.83 .000

Note. HSB- Health Seeking Behavior; B = Unstandardized regression coefficient; CI = Confident Interval; LL =
Lower Limit; UL = Upper Limit; SEB = Standardized error of the coefficient; β = Standardized coefficient; R2 =
Coefficient of determination. *P<.000.

Discussion:-
The present study was conducted to determine the influence of HSBon the security consciousness of adolescents in
Nigeria. Based on the study's objective, it was assumed that HSB would significantly account for the variance in the
security consciousness of the adolescents. Thus, in testing this assumption, a simple regression model was employed
for data analysis, and the result indicated a positive association between HSBand security consciousness.
Statistically, the adjusted R2 showed that the independent variable accounted for 67.8% of the variation in the
interaction between HSBand security consciousness. The result corroborates a previous study (e.g., Ugwuegede et
al. 2019), which found a correlation between self-esteem and security consciousness. This outcome could be
attributed to the relevance associated with HSB.

Health consciousness corresponds to self-awareness about one's health and the willingness to engage in health and
wellness-promoting behaviors(Michaelidou & Hassan, 2008). Accordingly, people who scored high in health-
seeking behavior enthusiastically seek information about improving their health and avoiding actions and situations
capable of compromising their health(Dutta & Feng, 2007; Iversen & Kraft, 2006). More so, adolescents with high
health-seeking attitudes may show more positive attitudes about safety, self-care, and more willingness to avoid
harm, and accordingly have improved overall well-being than those with less health-seeking behavior. Such
healthier lifestyles are implicated in total avoidance of dangerous situations, reporting suspected danger, and
adhering to safety protocols.

Implications of the Study

The findings of this study indicate that an individual's health consciousness mediates the trend of insecurity in
Nigeria and the susceptibility of the adolescent. The study's findings also have implications for the security agencies,
policymakers, non-governmental agencies, and other stakeholders interested in shaping young people's vulnerability
to the incidence of violence insecurities.

Conclusion and Recommendations:-

The study aimed to gain insight into the role of health-seeking behavior on adolescents' consciousness about the
incidence and prevalence of violence insecurities bedeviling Nigeria in the present time. Consequently, the analysis
conducted on the data collected from the participants indicated that health-seeking behavior is a significant predictor

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of security consciousness. Thus, the present study contributes to the literature by revealing the association between
health consciousness and safety consciousness. The study concludes that health-seeking behavior is an essential
psychological phenomenon capable of shaping adolescents ‘alertness to their safety relating to violent situations.
The study recommends that policies and decisions that aim to enhance adolescent's health consciousness should be
incorporated into programs and policies intended for young people's well-being. This is particularly important
because health consciousness is nurtured over time. More so, future research should endeavor to employ more
comprehensive samples and widen the scope.

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