To identify self-reported health problems among adolescents, a multistage, stratified random sample of 1002 adolescents from preparatory and secondary schools in Cairo (67.6% of the total sample) and the rural district of Qaliubia (32.4%) was surveyed. Of 863 completed questionnaires analysed, 54% were from males and 46% from females (age range: 12-18 years). The study showed that more boys than girls perceived their health as very healthy whereas more girls considered their health to be average. Significantly, more adolescent females reported weekly occurrence of abdominal pain, headache, dizziness, backache, morning tiredness, sleep disturbance and nervousness. Awareness-raising of parents and adolescents is necessary to allow determination of the relationship between gender and health