Key facts

• More than 1.8 million young people aged 15 to 24 die each year, mostly due to preventable causes.
• About 16 million girls aged 15 to 19 give birth every year.
• Young people, 15 to 24 years old, accounted for 40% of all new HIV infections among adults in 2008.
• In any given year, about 20% of adolescents will experience a mental health problem, most commonly depression or anxiety.
• An estimated 150 million young people use tobacco.
• Approximately 565 young people aged 10 to 29 die every day through interpersonal violence.
• Road traffic injuries cause an estimated 1 000 young people to die every day.

Overview

Most young people are healthy. However, more that 1.8 million young people aged 15 to 24 die each year. A much greater number of young people suffer from illnesses which hinder their ability to grow and develop to their full potential. A greater number still engage in behaviours that jeopardize not only their current state of health, but often their health for years to come. Nearly two-thirds of premature deaths and one-third of the total disease burden in adults are associated with conditions or behaviours that began in their youth, including: tobacco use, a lack of physical activity, unprotected sex or exposure to violence.

Promoting healthy practices during adolescence, and taking steps to better protect young people from health risks is critical to the future of countries’ health and social infrastructure and to the prevention of health problems in adulthood.

In 2002, the UN General Assembly Special Session on Children recognized the need for the "development and implementation of national health policies and programmes for adolescents, including goals and indicators, to promote their physical and mental health".

An important framework for young people's health are the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Two of the MDGs are particularly relevant to young people's health.

• MDG 5 aims to achieve universal access to reproductive health, for which one of the indicators is the pregnancy rate among 15 to 19 year old girls.
• MDG 6 to halt the spread of HIV/AIDS has indicators like a 25% reduction among young people, and also measures the proportion of 15 to 24 year olds with comprehensive and correct knowledge of HIV/AIDS.

The right of all young people to health is also enshrined in international legal instruments. In 2003, the Committee of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) issued a General Comment in which the special health and development needs and rights of adolescents and young people were recognized. These are further supported by the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Right to Health.

Health issues affecting young people

Some of the main health issues affecting young people are described below.

Early pregnancy and childbirth

About 16 million girls aged 15 to 19 years give birth every year - roughly 11% of all births worldwide. The vast majority of adolescents’ births occur in developing countries. The risk of dying from pregnancy-related causes is much higher for adolescents than for older women. The younger the adolescent, the greater the risk. The formulation and enforcement of laws that specify a minimum age of marriage, community mobilization to support these laws, and better access to contraceptive information and services can decrease too-early pregnancies. Those adolescents who do become pregnant should be provided with quality antenatal care and skilled birth attendance. Where permitted by law, those adolescents who opt to terminate their pregnancies should have access to safe abortion.

HIV

Fifteen to 24 year olds accounted for an estimated 40% of all new HIV infections among adults worldwide in 2008. Every day, 2 500 more young people get infected and globally there are more than 5.7 million young people living with HIV/AIDS. Young people need to know how to protect themselves and have the means to do so. This includes condoms to prevent sexual transmission of the virus and clean needles and syringes for those who inject drugs. Currently, only 30% of young men and 19% of young women have the comprehensive and correct knowledge they need to protect themselves from acquiring the virus. Better access to HIV testing and counselling will inform young people about their status, help them to get the care they need, and avoid further spread of the virus. Where social, cultural and economic conditions increase the vulnerability of young people to HIV infection, an effective HIV prevention strategy should aim to address these factors as well.

Malnutrition

Many boys and girls in developing countries enter adolescence undernourished, making them more vulnerable to disease and early death. Conversely, overweight and obesity (another form of malnutrition with serious health consequences and important longer term financial implications for health systems) are increasing among young people in both low- and high-income countries. Adequate nutrition and healthy eating and physical exercise habits at this age are foundations for good health in adulthood. In addition, it is important to prevent nutritional problems by prov