Healthy youth and adults
The chance that a teenager or young person will live to the later stages depends a lot on where they live in the world. In 2021, the average chance of a 10-year-old child dying before the age of 24 was 6 times higher in sub-Saharan Africa than in North America and Europe.
In the 10 to 24 age group, the lowest mortality rate corresponds to the 10 to 14 age group and the highest to the 20 to 20 age group. 24. In these years, women’s rates are usually lower than men’s.
In the 10 to 14 year age group, infectious diseases are the most common cause of death, while among young adults and young adults this cause is less common and most deaths are reported due to injuries, infections, self-harming behavior and assaults. Sex-dependent differences are also observed in adolescence.
Accidents and unintentional injuries, such as traffic accidents and drowning, are among the leading causes of death and disability among young people.
In 2021, more than 100,000 young people (in English) aged 10 to 19 died as a result of traffic accidents. Most of them were users with a high level of vulnerability, ie pedestrians, cyclists or two-wheeler users.
Fact Sheet on Harassment and Violence (in English)
Drowning is one of the leading causes of death among young people: it is estimated that more than 40,000 young people drowned in 2021, more than a third of whom were male.
An explanation about drowning
Interpersonal violence is one of the leading causes of death among adolescents and young adults in the world, although its importance varies greatly from region to region. In the WHO region in the Americas, violent acts cause about a third of all deaths among adolescent males.
Adolescent violence also increases the risk of trauma, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, mental health problems, poor school performance and dropping out, early pregnancy, reproductive health problems, and communicable and non-communicable diseases.
A definition of youth violence
In many countries, youth drinking is a serious concern. Worldwide, more than a quarter of 15- to 19-year-olds—about 155 million young people—drink alcohol. It is estimated that in 2016, 13.6% of young people between the ages of 15 and 19 – mostly men – sometimes drink a lot of alcohol.
Among psychoactive substances, the most used by young people is hemp (cannabis): about 4.7% of young people aged 15 and 16 did so at least once in 2018. (1) Alcohol and drug use in childhood and adolescence cause neurological changes that, in later stages of life, can lead to behavioral, emotional, social and academic problems.
Definition of alcoholic beverages
Most people who smoke today started doing so when they were young. It is estimated that in 2018, at least one in ten young people between the ages of 13 and 15 smoked, although in some areas this rate was much higher. (2) E-cigarettes are very dangerous for children and teenagers. Nicotine is highly addictive and it is important to remember that the brain continues to develop into your mid-twenties.
A description of tobacco
What are the dangers of electronic cigarettes?
Depression and anxiety are among the leading causes of illness and disability in young people, and a significant number of 15- to 19-year-olds die by suicide. Although half of adult mental health problems begin by age 14, many go undiagnosed or untreated.
Among the many factors that affect young people’s mental health and well-being, violence, poverty, marginalization, exclusion and living in poor or underserved environments can increase the risk of health problems. mental health.
A description of the mental health of young people
HIV infection
According to estimates, there were 1.7 million young people aged 10 to 19 living with HIV in 2021, almost 90% of whom were in the WHO African Region. (3) Although new infections among young people have been declining significantly since the peak recorded in 1994, this age group still represents about 10% of new infections due to this virus, and in of that percentage, three-quarters are women. (4) In addition, test coverage remains low, so many young people and adults may be infected without knowing it.
Definition of HIV infection
Facts about HIV infection in pictures
Tuberculosis
Although tuberculosis is preventable and treatable, it continues to affect the lives of millions of children and young people. About 1.1 million children under the age of 15 get TB every year and more than 225,000 of them die.
Adolescents and young adults often have infectious tuberculosis that causes cavities in the lungs on chest x-rays. The World Tuberculosis Report (in English) explains that the rates of notification of cases among 15 to 19-year-olds with the disease are relatively high compared to teenagers.
Tuberculosis Fact Sheet
Other infectious diseases
Diarrhea and pneumonia are among the five leading causes of death among 10- to 14-year-olds, with the highest death toll in Africa. However, due to improvements in childhood vaccination, there has been a marked reduction in mortality and disability from measles among young people.
A description of diarrheal diseases
Definition of pneumonia
An explanatory note on measles
Adolescence (9 to 14 years) is the best time to get vaccinated against human papillomavirus infection. It is estimated that if 90% of the world’s girls were vaccinated, more than 40 million lives could be saved this century. However, in 2021 only 12% of girls were vaccinated. (5)
An overview of human papillomaviruses and cervical cancer
In general, the number of cases and deaths of children and adolescents from COVID-19 is much lower than that of adults. Despite this, the epidemic has had a negative impact on young people’s lives indirectly, including mental health problems, closure of educational institutions, isolation, lack of exercise, malnutrition right and domestic violence.
In developing countries, about 12 million boys and girls aged 15 to 19, and at least 777,000 girls under the age of 15, give birth each year. Complications related to pregnancy and childbirth are among the leading causes of death among young women aged 15 to 19 worldwide.
In 2021, the world birth rate among young people was 42 children per 1,000 1,000 young people, and, depending on the country, it ranges from one birth to more than 200 young people 1,000. These statistics show a clear decline since 1990, which is also reflected in the decrease in the maternal mortality rate among young women aged 15 to 19. (6)
An explanation about teenage pregnancy
Various environmental factors are closely related to important causes of death among adolescents and young adults, such as unintentional injuries and infectious diseases. In addition, as their physical development is not yet complete, people of this age are at high risk of pollution and environmental hazards, including climate change, air pollution chemicals and heavy metals, radiation, polluted air, problems of unsanitary conditions in cities and lack of water. , sanitation and hygiene.
WHO’s work on children’s environmental hygiene
Globally, more than one in six young people aged 10 to 19 were obese in 2016. (7) with a different prevalence depending on the WHO region: while in the Southeast Asian Region this prevalence was less than 10%, in the Americas it was more than 30%.
Definition about obesity and overweight
Many boys and girls in developing countries are malnourished by the time they reach adolescence, leading to disease and early death.
In 2021, iron deficiency anemia was one of the leading causes of health years lost to disability among youth aged 10 to 19. Iron supplementation and folic acid can help improve the health of young people. In areas where intestinal helminths such as hookworms are common, regular deworming is recommended for young people to prevent nutrient deficiencies (such as iron).
Definition of malnutrition
An explanation about healthy eating
Globally, only one in five young people met WHO guidelines for physical activity in 2016. The prevalence of inactivity is high in all WHO regions, and is higher for women than men of that age. (8)
A description of the body’s function
The rights of children under the age of 18 to live, grow and develop are enshrined in various international legal instruments. In 2013, the Committee on the Rights of the Child published guidelines on children’s right to the highest standards of health. Similarly, in 2016, the General Observation on the realization of the rights of children during adolescence was published, which refers to the responsibility of States to recognize the rights and needs of the health and development of young people .
Similarly, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women establishes the rights of women and girls to health and access to adequate health care.
WHO works with Member States and partners to improve the health of young people; To this end, it publishes evidence-based guidelines, develops and distributes recommendations so that health systems are sensitive to the needs of young people, and reports on progress made in health and development. this age group.
In 2023, WHO published an updated version of the guideline called Global Implementation of the Adolescent Health Promotion (AA-HA!) Guideline: A Guide for National Implementation.. Version 2.0 of this document is based on the opinions obtained after the consultation process with Member States, United Nations administrative bodies, youth and youth, civil society and other partners. The purpose of this guide is to help governments identify measures to respond to the health needs of young people, as well as how to implement them.
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