Global Health Chapter 11: Adolescent Health

Key attributable risk factors for deaths among adolescents globally

-Alcohol use -Unsafe Sex -Lack of contraception -Iron deficiency -Illicit drug use -Unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene

Cash Transfer Program for Adolescent Girls in Malawi

-Prevalence of HIV is over 10%, and adolescent girls are particularly vulnerable -Low educational attainment and economic dependence on men are widely understood to be important risk factors for HIV infection among adolescent girls -Over 1000 young unmarried woman participated in the program- half of them were assigned to receive conditional cash transfers, with school attendance required to receive payments. The other half received unconditional cash transfers and did not have to attend school -Those who participated in the cash transfer program had significantly lower HIV prevalence rate than control group -No significant difference between conditional and unconditional cash transfer -Cash transfers found that it reduced sexual encounters

HealthWise South Africa: A Life Skills Course for Adolescents

-School based education program designed to reduce substance abuse and risky sexual behavior among adolescents. -HealthWise seeks to address the myths and realities of substance abuse and empower students through lessons on self-awareness, decision making, and conflict resolution. Planning healthy leisure time activities and building positive social connections in the community -education around condom use -Students who participate in HealthWise are less likely to engage in sexual behaviors or frequent drug use. Greater likelihood of using a condom. -Lessons: address emotional and psychological motivations for risk behavior, encourage adolescents to find alternatives to risky activities, recognize the classroom as an important space for health and life skills education

What should policymakers consider about adolescent health?

-collect data by breaking it up into early and late adolescence (10-14 and 15-19 years) -adolescents should be able to voice their needs -integrates interventions at the community, family, and school levels. -enhance educational opportunities for women -road safety- stricter enforcement -gun control -universal health coverage -family planning -encourage job creation

Economic and Social Consequences of Adolescent Health Issues

-maintaining the gains that have occurred in the health of young children -set foundation for health as adults -social and economic costs of diseases like HIV

Adolescents increasingly eat these types of foods leading to this

-sugar, salt, and saturated fats and insufficient physical activity leading to obesity

This percentage of deaths of people aged 15 and 29 years old are due to alcohol

5%

The leading cause of DALYs among males and females in almost all low and middle income countries

Anemia

Prevalence of cigarette smoking is _____ globally, but ________ in many low- middle income countries

Decreasing, increasing

Leading cause of illness and disability in young people and third most common cause of mortality.

Depression, suicide

Differences between males and females can be due to this

Gender disparities- less girls are enrolled in secondary education, leading them to be less informed about health issues

Leading cause of death for adolescent females

HIV/AIDS, self harm, and diarrheal diseases. In low-middle income countries for the younger age groups leading cause of death are communicable diseases, and for older age groups it is self harm and maternal disorders.

Risks for adolescent girls regarding HIV and other STIs

Immature reproductive and immune systems, gender norms that discriminate against them, age differences with male sexual partners, prostitution pressures

In what regions is interpersonal violence leading cause of death of adolescent 15-19 year olds

Latin America and Caribbean Region of the World Bank

Most important social determinants of adolescent health

National wealth, income inequality, and access to education are among the most important social determinants of adolescent health.

This region has the highest rate of adult TB in the world, and is also a burden for adolescents

South Asia

Leading cause of DALYs for adolescent males

Unipolar depression, HIV/AIDS, and self-harm

WHO's definition of adolescents

between the ages 10-19. About 90% of all adolescents live in low-middle income countries. Health of future adult populations depends on adolescent health

Leading cause of death for adolescent males

by significant margin, road injury, followed by interpersonal violence, HIV/AIDS, and drowning.

Due to this, adolescent deaths from communicable diseases have decreased dramatically

childhood vaccinations

Leading cause of death among females aged 15-19 years in many low- and middle-income countries

complications from childbirth and pregnancy

Risk factors for mental health

genetics, health of mother, poor physical health and nutritional status, growing up without caregivers, being orphaned, growing up in an institution, exposure to harmful substances, violence, conflict, abuse, gender disparity, discrimination, immigrant status, being displaced, bullying, family dysfunction, pathological use of the internet, pregnancy, child soldier.

As children age, they die less of this and more of this

less of communicable diseases and more of interpersonal violence, road injuries, and self-harm

In all age groups and regions is mortality rate higher for adolescent males or females (except Africa)?

males. They are 3x more likely to be killed on the road

By the time females are 15-19 in low income countries they face significant risks of dying of this

maternal causes

Why is HIV/AIDS deaths among adolescents increasing int the WHO Africa region

possibly because HIV positive children survive pqst childhood but do not receive all the care that they require in adolescents.

The three leading causes of death of adolescents globally

road injury, HIV/AIDS, and self harm. Four of the top ten leading causes of death are communicable and largely preventable.

Leading cause of DALYs for adolescent females

unipolar depression by far the leading cause, iron deficiency anemia, road injury, and HIV/AIDS.