Adolescent Health and Development and development

Abstract

Strengthening the health sector response to adolescent health and development 2 Why invest in the health and development of adolescents? There are sound public health, economic and human rights reasons for investing in the health and development of adolescents. 1 Investing in the health of adolescents helps prevent the estimated 1.4 million deaths that occur globally every year due to road traf injuries, violence, suicide, HIV and pregnancy-related causes. It can also improve the health and well-being of many millions of adolescents who experience health problems such as depression, anaemia or HIV infection; and promote the adoption of healthy behaviours that help prevent health problems that occur later in life, such as cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer resulting from physical inactivity and tobacco use initiated during adolescence. Finally, investing in adolescent health can prevent problems in the next generation such as prematurity and low birth weight in infants born to very young mothers. There is growing recognition of the economic bene of investing in the healthy development of adolescents, and the economic costs of not doing so: Adolescents represent one of the global population; healthy, competent adolescents who enter the work force can raise the economic productivity of a country. Economists stress the importance of using this " demographic dividend " for national development. On the other hand, not investing in the health and development of adolescents contributes to the vicious cycle of ill-health and socioeconomic deprivation. For example, girls from poor communities are more likely than those in more well-to-do communities to get pregnant during their adolescence. This in turn leads to loss of educational and employment opportunities, keeping them in poverty. Almost all countries are signatories to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which clearly states that adolescents have the right to obtain the health information and services they need to survive and to grow and develop to their full individual potential. This is especially true for those adolescents who are more likely than others to develop health problems because social, economic and cultural factors increase their vulnerability.