6 Common Health Challenges that Adolescents Face Everywhere
Identifying and mapping teen health challenges is solely focused on creating better opportunities for adolescents to thrive and become healthy productive adults. To be able to design and implement adequate risk-preventive and evidence-based correctional programmes, we first need to understand the 6 common health challenges that adolescents face everywhere, the most common being – contamination of sexually transmitted diseases, addiction of psychoactive substances, malnutrition related health issues, violence and injury related health issues.
- Contamination of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
Adolescents within the age group of 13-19 years are more vulnerable to STDs, females in particular. Socio-economic conditions, social standing, cultural settings play a significant role in adolescent health issues in societies across the world. Studies unravel that 26% of Indian teen-age girls below 15 years get embroiled in sexual activities giving way to increased underage pregnancy, mortality, and other health complications including contamination Of STDs.
- Addiction of Psychoactive Substances
Puberty is a time when adolescents face cascading emotions. They become easily impressionable. During the formative years, the use of psychoactive substances is always introduced in a group activity. Alcohol, tobacco, cocaine, cannabis, opioids, etc are “quick fixes” that young adults are inclined to use. The health challenges that arise out of early use of such psychoactive substances can wreak havoc. Cancer, psychosis, depression, and chronic conditions can develop if addiction is not curtailed and stopped.
- Malnutrition Related Health Issues
The importance of diet is a key factor that determines physical fitness and mental health. Apathy towards food and general loss of appetite is another challenge that threatens the health of an adolescent with diseases such as diabetes, asthma, heart diseases etc.
- Violence and Injury Related Health Issues
“The average adolescent is a self-destructive being” – research shows that during adolescence, young adults are prone to behave in an erratic and irresponsible manner. This leads to a gamut of “self –destructive” activities as inflicting self- injuries, suicidal thoughts, getting violent with others. This anti-social behaviour can lead to a number of events as juvenile crime, theft, murders and sexual abuse. If unnoticed, such behaviours can trigger a number of psychiatric problems such as bipolar disorders, psychosis, multiple personality disorder, depression and dementia.
- Mental Health Related Issues
Adolescence is a difficult time in everyone’s life. The many hormonal changes in an adolescent can give way to nervousness, under-confidence, insecurity, hopelessness and morbidity. These can have long-term effects in building the character of your child. Mental wellness therefore is of great significance when it comes to dealing with adolescents.
- Obesity
Digital addiction, nuclear families, processed foods, academic stress and little or no play time are making our teenagers obese. Obesity needs to be addressed immediately because it gives roots to many other diseases and affects the self- image and confidence of the child.
Let Charity Begin at Home!
Forming a major demographic, adolescents are the economic future of our country, therefore the opportunity to multidisciplinary development is one of the basic rights adolescents should be given everywhere. However before we take a step towards helping others, we must extend a helping hand to our children at home. Engagement and encouragement are two simple tools that can help your adolescent child become a mature and responsible individual.
