Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Age Groups
◦ WHO Defines-
Adolescents- 10-19 years
Youth - 15 – 24 Years
Young People – 10 – 24 Years
A phase which involves -
Progression from appearance of secondary sexual
characteristics (puberty) to sexual and
reproductive maturity
Development of adult mental process and identity
Transition from total social-economic
dependence to relative independence
Early (10 – 14))
◦ Growth Spurt, Beginning of Sexual Maturity and
Start to think abstractly.
Middle (14 – 15)
◦ Main Physical Change Completed, Develop
stronger sense of Identity, relates strongly to
peer group, Thinking becomes reflective.
Late (16 – 19)
◦ Body takes adult form, has distinct identity and
more settled ideas and opinions.
•Population
•Education
•Employment
•Poverty
•They are a demographic force.
•They are an economic force.
•They are the future health.
•They have a right to participate.
•Young Adolescents
•Malnutrition
•General Health Problems
•Menstrual Problems
•Mental Health Problems
•Early and Unprotected Sex
•Addictive Behaviors
•Accidents and violence
•Sexual Abuse
•Depression and Suicide
•Eating Disorders.
Young Adolescents
◦ Can not bear the responsibility of their
own health
◦ Lack knowledge about the physical
changes happening in body
◦ Such concerns – low self esteem and
depression
◦ Need reassurance and Support
Malnutrition
◦ Shortage of food – priority for babies –
inadequate adolescent diet – delayed/impaired
development.
◦ Girls – fed last and fed least – pubertal delay –
small pelvis.
◦ Baby mothers – less equipped to withstand
complications (physically immature body)
◦ MMR higher in anemic adolescent mothers
◦ Undernourished Adolescent Mother – LBW Babies
General Health Problems
◦ Same illnesses but
Less likely to recognize symptoms
More likely to underestimate their importance
◦ Least likely section to go for early treatment
afraid about outcome,
worried about stigma, and
do not have confidence on treatment.
◦ Parents actively take care of health of young
children
Parents feel adolescents responsible for their heath needs
– as they become more independent
Conditions like Asthma and Epilepsy become uncontrolled
– as considered responsible for self medication.
Menstrual Problems
◦ Without proper knowledge – fail to understand
normal and to recognize menstrual problems
◦ School Health Checkups usually fail to identify
these
Mental Health Problems
◦ May first become apparent in Adolescence
◦ No frame of reference available with them
◦ Thus fail to
Recognize and
Seek medical treatment
Early and Unprotected Sex
◦ Sexual activity is more common than available
official data – evidenced by increased no. of-
Unwanted Pregnancies
Unsafe Abortions
Steep Rise in HIV
◦ Early and unprotected sexual experience is not
planned, and with no knowledge of consequences
Predisposing Factors for Early and
Unprotected Sex
◦ Adolescents live in Increasingly sexualized
societies
◦ Impact of Media – Electronic and Print
◦ Rapid Growth of cities and breakdown of
traditional family structure – Erode protective
cultural layer
◦ Conflict and forced migration – put them at risk
◦ Pressured in to desperate situations – forced into
sex for survival sp. during economic hardships
etc.
◦ Trend – earlier sexual maturation while late
marriage
Early and Unprotected Sex – Results In
◦ STI 1 in 20 young people every year
◦ 7000 young people every day are infected with
HIV