Health and Disease in Adolescence

Excerpt

Rising adolescent health problems, such as road traffic injuries (RTIs), mental disorders, and substance use disorders, are an increasing cause for concern in countries that have otherwise reduced maternal mortality and boosted child survival (Patton and others 2009). Moreover, with aging populations and a convergence to a disease burden dominated by noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in later life, adolescent health risks, such as tobacco use, physical inactivity, obesity, substance use, and poor diet, assume greater significance (Jamison and others 2013). Adolescence is defined as ages 10–19 years. Definitions of age groupings and age-specific terminology used in this volume can be found in chapter 1 (Bundy and others 2017).

Better adolescent health requires matching interventions to health profiles, focusing on the important social determinants of health during the adolescent years, considering adolescent development and neurodevelopment, and addressing gender and equity.

The Sustainable Development Goals will put a greater focus on adolescents as recipients of interventions and as decision makers and implementation partners in health-related issues. Although the Millennium Development Goals increased the focus on sexual and reproductive health among adolescents and young adults ages 15–24 years, other areas of health risks and problems received far less attention, and health gains have been weaker among adolescents than among other age groups.

When reading this chapter, it is important to remember that nearly all of the data and evidence come from studies of programs in high-income countries (HICs). We cannot say with any certainty the extent to which the results presented here apply to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This lack of research is a particular challenge in planning and selecting interventions for this age group and helps to emphasize the need for much more research into the health of adolescents in LMICs.