Teenagers now face more risks than ever before. Teens are more stressed than ever before, thanks to online bullying and school shootings. Also, alcohol and drug misuse and suicide rates are rising. Are you worried about your child? Arm yourself with information about the top 8 teen health challenges facing youth.
Key Facts:
- In 2019, over 1.5 million teenagers and young adults aged 10–24 died, about 5000 every day.
- Young adults aged 10–14 years have the lowest chance of mortality among all age groups.
- The leading causes of death among adolescents and young adults are injuries (including car accidents and drowning), abuse, self-harm, and maternal conditions.
- Half of all mental health conditions in adulthood begin before 14. But most cases remain undetected and untreated.
- Early-onset of substance use is associated with increased chances of developing dependency and other issues later in life.
- People of younger ages are disproportionately affected by substance use compared to people of older ages.
- There are 43 births per 1000 girls aged 15–19 years, every year
Here is the top 8 The Biggest Health Challenges that Youth Faces:
1. Injuries
Adolescents are the most vulnerable to unintentional accidents. These are the most common causes of death and injury in the United States. About 115,000 teenagers died as a result of traffic accidents in 2019. Many of those killed were “vulnerable road users.” They include pedestrians, cyclists, or riders on motorized two-wheelers. Road safety laws in many countries need to be extended, and the implementation of those laws needs to be strengthened. Furthermore, young drivers need safety guidance. And laws prohibiting driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs must be strictly enforced in all age groups. Young drivers should have lower blood alcohol levels than adults. Graduated licenses with a zero-tolerance for drunk driving are recommended for new drivers.
Drowning is also one of the most common causes of death among youths. More than 30,000 adolescents, nearly three-quarters of whom were boys, drowned in 2019. Swimming education for children and teenagers is a vital intervention in preventing these deaths.
2. Suicide
The second leading cause of death by teenagers is suicide. Teen suicide rates increased by 56% between 2007 and 2017. According to statistics, approximately one in every 11 high school students attempts suicide.
Loneliness, depression, family problems, and drug abuse are all risk factors for suicide. The issues are complex, and they are rarely the result of one or two factors. Teens who communicate well with at least one adult are less likely to engage in risky activities. Also, they are less likely to develop depression.
3. Alcohol and drug use
Adolescent alcohol use is a major problem in many countries. It may reduce self-control and increase risky behaviors such as unsafe sex or unsafe driving. Also, it is a root cause of injuries (including those caused by road accidents), crime, and premature death. It can also cause health issues later in life and reduce life expectancy. More than a quarter of all people aged 15 to 19 in the world are current drinkers. This amounts to 155 million teenagers. In 2016, the prevalence of heavy episodic drinking among adolescents aged 15–19 years was 13.6 percent, with males being the most at risk.
Cannabis is the most commonly used psychoactive drug by young people. About 4.7 percent of 15–16-year-olds used it at least once in 2018. Alcohol and drug use in children and adolescents are linked to neurocognitive changes. This leads to behavioral, emotional, social, and academic problems later in life.
4. Mental health
Depression is one of the leading causes of disease and disability among teenagers. And suicide is the third leading cause of death among those aged 15–19. In people aged 10–19 years, mental health problems account for 16% of the global burden of illness and injury. By the age of 14, half of all adult mental health issues start. But most cases go untreated.
A variety of factors influence adolescent wellbeing and mental health. Violence, poverty, stigma, isolation, and living in humanitarian and fragile settings can raise the risk of developing mental health issues.
5. Early pregnancy and childbirth
Every year, nearly 12 million girls between the ages of 15 and 19 and at least 777,000 girls under 15 get pregnant. Complications from pregnancy and childbirth are the leading health challenges for girls aged 15 to 19 worldwide.
6. Nutrition and micronutrient deficiencies
In 2016, iron deficiency anemia was the second leading health challenge for teenagers. Taking supplements of iron and folic acid is a solution that also promotes wellbeing before teens become parents. Regular deworming is recommended in areas where intestinal helminths such as hookworm are widespread to prevent micronutrient (including iron) deficiencies.
Many teenage boys and girls in developing countries are malnourished. This raises the chances of sickness and death. On the other end of the spectrum, the number of overweight or obese teenagers is rising in low-, middle-, and high-income countries.
Globally, more than one in every six teenagers aged 10–19 years was overweight in 2016. Prevalence varied across WHO regions, varying from less than 10% in the WHO South-East Asia region to more than 30% in the WHO Americas region.
7. AIDS/HIV
In 2019, an estimated 1.7 million adolescents (aged 10–19 years) were living with HIV. Approximately 90% of them in the WHO African Region. There has been a significant decrease in new infections among adolescents since a peak in 1994. But, adolescents still account for about 10% of new HIV infections, with adolescent girls accounting for three-quarters. Furthermore, while new infections may have arisen in many of the worst-affected countries, recent testing coverage remains limited. This suggests that many HIV-positive people may be unaware of their status.
8. Other infectious diseases
Adolescent deaths and disability from measles have decreased significantly as a result of increased childhood vaccination. For example, adolescent mortality from measles decreased by 90 percent in the African Region between 2000 and 2012.
In a study of 631 children, over 39% of children had at least 1 infectious disease.
Diarrhoea and lower respiratory tract infections (pneumonia) are thought to be among the top 10 causes of death in adolescents aged 10 to 14. These two diseases, along with meningitis, are among the top five Biggest Health Challenges in low- and middle-income African countries.
Infectious diseases, such as the Human Papilloma Virus, can cause short-term disease (genital warts) during puberty. Also, it can cause cervical and other cancers decades later. Early puberty (9-14 years) is the ideal time for HPV vaccination. And, if 90 percent of girls worldwide receive the HPV vaccine, more than 40 million lives will be saved over the next century. However, only 15% of girls worldwide received the vaccine in 2019.
The Bottom Line
Many parents find the adolescent years difficult. It becomes more difficult to monitor children’s behaviour as they become more independent and make new friends.
Preparing yourself with information in advance will help in the facilitation of a productive discussion. The most important thing for teens to remember is that they are loved. Also, they always have someone to talk to if they have any health challenges.
