WHO > Health topics > Adolescent health

Adolescent health

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Adolescents – young people between the ages of 10 and 19 years – are often thought of as a healthy group. Nevertheless, many adolescents do die prematurely due to accidents, suicide, violence, pregnancy related complications and other illnesses that are either preventable or treatable. Many more suffer chronic ill-health and disability. In addition, many serious diseases in adulthood have their roots in adolescence. For example, tobacco use, sexually transmitted infections including HIV, poor eating and exercise habits, lead to illness or premature death later in life.


GENERAL

Why do we need to invest in the health and development of adolescents?

"Reaching out", May 2008 [pdf 152kb]

MULTIMEDIA

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Features
Features: child and adolescent health and development

RELATED TOPICS

- Promoting the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents
- Reproductive Health Library: adolescent sexual health
- School health and youth health promotion
- Child and adolescent mental health
- Diet and physical activity
- Youth and tobacco
- Violence and injury
- Youth and road safety
- Children's environmental health
- Global school-based student health survey (GSHS)

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Promoting healthy development

Preventing and responding to health problems

- More information on adolescent health

PUBLICATIONS

Preventing HIV/AIDS in young people: a systematic review of the evidence from developing countries

Helping parents improve adolescents' health in developing countries

- More publications on adolescent health


WHO PROGRAMME AND ACTIVITIES

Department of Child and Adolescent Health and Development (CAH)
ADOLESCENT HEALTH IN WHO REGIONS

African Region
Region of the Americas
South-East Asian Region
European Region
Eastern Mediterranean Region
Western Pacific Region