Adolescent Health

Donna M. DennoHServ/GH 544

Photos: http://www.fhi.org/en/Youth/YouthNet/index.htm, WHO website and references, and D Denno

Learning Objectives

• Describe mortality rate trends by age group

• List common causes of mortality and morbidity among young adults

• Describe factors during adolescence that impact adult health

• Describe barriers to health service delivery for youth and strategies for improving delivery

3

Who are we talking about?

• Neonatal period <28 days

• Infants <1 year

• Child <5 years

• School age children

• Adolescents 10-19 years

• Youth 10-24 years

• Adults >20 years

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All cause mortality, young people, 2004

Patton GC et al. Global patterns of mortality in young people. Lancet. 2009.

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Causes of Death, 10-24 year olds, 2004

Patton GC et al. Global patterns of mortality in young people. Lancet. 2009.

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Causes of Death, 10-24 year olds, females, 2004

Patton GC et al. Global patterns of mortality in young people. Lancet. 2009.

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As always…causes of mortality vary by region, country

• e.g. 15% of deaths among 15-24 yo females in India are due to burns.

– Unintentional

– Self inflicted (related to domestic violence)

– Homicide

Shangavi et al. Fire-related deaths in India in 2001: a retrospective analysis of data. Lancet. 2009.

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Should developing countries focus attention on adolescent health?

What is the role of the health sector?

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Beyond MortalityMajor contributors to disease burden in

youth

• Sub-lethal injuries life long disabilities

• HIV burden

• STI burden

• Reproductive health related problems

• TB burden

• Malnutrition

• Mental health problems

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Impact on Adult Health

~2/3 of premature deaths and 1/3 of the total disease burden in adults--associated with conditions or behaviors that begin in youth

• Substance abuse including tobacco and alcohol

• Unprotected intercourse

• Sexual coercion and force

• Exposure to violence

• Eating and exercise patterns

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Impact on Adult Health ct’d

• 15-24 year olds account for an estimated 45% of new HIV infections worldwide.

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Impact on Adult Health ct’d

• Risk factors in adolescence impact future risk of chronic disease– Hypertension– Diabetes– Cardiovascular Disease– Cancer

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Impact on Neonatal Health11% of all births worldwide are among

adolescents

• Stillbirths -- 50% increased risk among under 20 years

• Neonatal deaths -- 50–100% more frequent if the mother is an adolescent versus older, and the younger the mother, the higher the risk.

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Continuum of Care

Kerber K. Continuum of care for maternal, newborn, and child health: from slogan to service delivery. Lancet. 2007.

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Health Sector Response

• Relatively healthy group

• Do not need prioritization or special consideration

• Provide minimum subset of adult (or child) health services

• Laws and policies may prevent delivery of services to adolescents

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Health Provider Response

• Uncomfortable serving youth who are sexually active or engaging in risk behaviors

• Communication and compliance issues frustration

• May not have training to address adolescent concerns/questions about their changing bodies, emotions

• Bias

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Adolescent Development Characteristics Influencing Health

and Health Seeking Behavior

• No longer children…yet not adults• Physical and psychosocial maturity develop

separately• Develop at different rates• Physically able to reproduce• Sense of independence…yet rely on adults• Risk taking• Invincible

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Youth response to health services

• Irrelevant to their needs

• Distrustful

• Avoid or use only when desperate

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Case: Anthony• 12 yo• Came to town from country side when crops failed • Domestic helper in a distant relative’s household,

domestic violence• Concerned about pubertal changes--is this normal?

Case: Florence• 16 yo• Doing well at school, encouraged by family to continue

with education• Coerced sex, pregnant, induced abortion, still bleeding a

week later• Her mom’s friend works at the clinic

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What are barriers to delivery of effective health services?

Youth• Cost• Lack of services—

hours, cost, permission

• Lack of confidentiality• Lack of compassion• Distrust• Ill treatment

Health system• Lack of

– Data– Training– Supplies– Funding

• Restrictive laws/policies

• Vertical programming

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Youth Friendly Health ServicesACCESSIBLE

• “I can’t go there…I don’t have the money…They won’t see me without registration papers…I cannot understand the forms…They won’t see me without parental permission…They ran out of ___…”

ACCEPTABLE

• “I don’t want to go there…It’s dirty…I have to wait too long…The doctor doesn’t know what she’s doing…The nurse yells at me...They might tell my family…Someone will see me go there, I’ll get in trouble…”

EQUITABLE

• “I get treated poorly because I use ___, I’m poor… a street kid…from a minority group…from the countryside…”

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What can we do to make services “Youth Friendly”?

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How do we know if services are “Youth Friendly”?

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What can we do when youth still cannot or will not come to health

facilities?

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Continuum of Care

Kerber K. Continuum of care for maternal, newborn, and child health: from slogan to service delivery. Lancet. 2007.

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Intergenerational Cycle of Undernutrition

The cycle of poor nutrition perpetuates itself across generations

Childhood: Child growth failure, impaired mental

development

Adolescents: Low weight and height

Pregnancy Compromised

nutritional status

Adult: Small adult woman, lowered

productivity

Fetal and Infant stages: Low

birthweight baby