Wellbeing of young people by ethnicity

Healthwatch Suffolk undertake a large scale survey of the wellbeing of young people in Suffolk each year.  This report focuses on the results by ethnicity of the students.  It is based on the experience of 13,084 young people. 

Key findings:

Students from a ‘White - Gypsy, Traveller, or Irish Traveller’ (18.8) ethnicity had the lowest average wellbeing score, compared to students from other ethnic backgrounds. This was followed by Portuguese students (19.5).  Furthermore, students from an Asian / Asian British (21.0) or Black / African / Caribbean / Black British background had a higher average wellbeing score than the Suffolk average score. Within these groups, students from an Indian (21.4), or any other Black background (other than African or Caribbean) (21.8) reported the highest average wellbeing scores.

White Gypsy, Traveller, or Irish Traveller students (57%/62) were most likely to report being unhappy with school. This was followed by Arab (35%/18) and Black/ African/Caribbean/Black British students (35%/108).

The lowest percentage of people who reported being unhappy with their homes were Asian/Asian British students (4%/27) and Romanian students (4%/7).

White – Gypsy, Traveller, or Irish Traveller students were the most likely to report being unhappy with their appearance (35%/38). This was followed by Portuguese students (29%/35) and White students (28%/ 2904).

Portuguese students (4%/5) and students who identified as an ‘other ethnic group’ (4%/8) were happiest with things they had, followed by White students (5%/512) and Mixed/Multiple ethnic groups (5%/44)

Arab students (47%/22) were the most likely to report ‘moderate’ or ‘severe’ anxiety levels. This was followed by Portuguese students (46%/51) and White – Gypsy, Traveller, or Irish Traveller students (41%/39)

White (57%/ 5454) students were most likely to have had someone to talk to. This means students from multi-ethnic communities were less likely to have someone they could talk to at school or college about their mental health. White – Gypsy, Traveller, or Irish Traveller (39%/ 37) were the least likely to say they had someone they could talk to. This was closely followed by Portuguese (40%/ 43) and Black/African/Caribbean/Black British (44%/ 122) students.

Polish students were more likely to be worried or very worried about the cost of living.  Black African and Carribean students were least likely to be worried or very worried about the cost of living.

Almost half (47%/35) of White – Gypsy, Traveller, or Irish Traveller students said they were concerned about their weight.  Romanian students (24%/35) were the least likely to report being concerned about their weight.

Asian/Asian British (6%/34) students were the least likely to have vaped. White – Gypsy, Traveller, or Irish Traveller students were the most likely to vape compared to other ethnic groups (29%/26).

Students from a Mixed/Multiple ethnic group were the most likely to say they would feel confident to report (37%/158). This was followed by White students (36%/2,195) and White – Gypsy, Traveller, or Irish Traveller students (36%/ 18).

Most young people were given enough information about the physical changes at the right time. For instance, students who identified as White were the most likely to report they had received this information (62%/5,418). This was closely followed by Asian/Asian British (62%/305), and Romanian students (61%/79).