ADOLESCENT HEALTH

Adolescents are the young people aged between 10 to 19 years. It is a transitional stage of physical, physiological and psychological development from puberty to legal adulthood. Worldwide more than 1.2 billion are adolescents: this indicates that roughly one in every six persons is an adolescent. (Table/Figure). About 21% of Indian population is adolescents (about 243 million). They are the future of the nation, forming a major demographic and economic force. They have specific needs which vary with gender, life circumstances and socio economic conditions. They face challenges like poverty, lack of access to health care services, unsafe environments etc. It is a period of preparation for undertaking greater responsibilities like familial, social, cultural and economic issues in adulthood.

Adolescence is a phase of rapid growth and development during which physical, physiological and behavioral changes occur. They constitute more than 1.2 billion worldwide, and about 21% of Indian population. Morbidity and mortality occurring in this age group is mostly due to preventable causes. Young and growing children have poor knowledge and lack of awareness about physical and psychological changes that occurs during adolescence and the ill health affecting them. Current Adolescent health programmes emphasis on rendering services like immunization, health education for sexual and reproductive health, nutritional education and supplementation, anemia control measures and counseling. Adolescent health programmes are fragmentary at present and there is no comprehensive programme addressing all the needs of adolescents.

Access and availability of health care services are severely limited. Not having accurate information, absence of proper guidance, parent’s ignorance, inappropriate skills and insufficient services from health care delivery system are the major barriers. Interventions should focus on providing psychological and mental health services and behavior change communication towards leading a healthy lifestyle, restricting advertisement related to junk food products, awareness creation about reproductive and sexual health, educating parents to prevent early marriage, teenage pregnancy and to counsel their children on nutrition and reproductive health. Universal coverage of Adolescent friendly clinics is highly recommended. To be cost effective, all health services addressing adolescent should come under single programme. This anatomization is intended to create awareness among the stakeholders about the importance of improving adolescent health services in order to meet their beneficiary needs.