Adolescent and young adult health

The vast majority of people who use tobacco today started using it when they were teenagers. In 2018, at least one in ten adolescents aged 13 to 15 worldwide used tobacco, although there are areas where this number is much higher. E-cigarettes are particularly risky when used by children and teenagers. Nicotine is highly addictive and young people's brains continue to develop until their mid-twenties.

Information sheet on tobacco

E-cigarettes: How risky are they?

Depression and anxiety are among the leading causes of illness and disability among youth, and suicide is among the leading causes of death among people ages 15 to 19. Half of all adult mental disorders begin by age 14, but most cases remain undetected and untreated.

Many factors influence the well-being and mental health of young people. Violence, poverty, stigma, exclusion and living in humanitarian and fragile environments can increase the risk of developing mental health problems.

Adolescent Mental Health Fact Sheet

HIV

An estimated 1.7 million adolescents (ages 10-19 years) were living with HIV in 2021, of which approximately 90% were in the WHO African region. Although the number of new infections among adolescents has declined significantly since its peak in 1994, adolescents still account for about 10% of new HIV infections, three-quarters of which are among adolescent girls. In addition, although new infections have declined in many of the hardest-hit countries, testing rates remain low, suggesting that many adolescents and young people living with HIV may be unaware of their status.

HIV fact sheet

HIV facts in pictures

tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is a preventable and curable disease, but continues to affect the lives and development of millions of children and young people. Children and young adolescents under the age of 15 make up around 11% of all people with tuberculosis worldwide. This means that every year 1.1 million children and young adolescents under the age of 15 become ill with tuberculosis and more than 225,000 of them lose their lives.

Adolescents and young adults usually suffer from bacteriologically infectious tuberculosis, which is characterized by cavities visible on chest x-rays. The Global Tuberculosis Report shows that reporting rates among youth ages 15 to 19 are relatively high compared to younger youth.

Tuberculosis leaflet

Other infectious diseases

Diarrhea and lower respiratory tract infections (pneumonia) are estimated to be among the top five causes of death in adolescents aged 10 to 14, with mortality rates particularly high in low- and middle-income African countries. Thanks to improved vaccinations for children, deaths and disabilities among young people from measles have decreased significantly.

Fact sheet on diarrheal diseases

Pneumonia information sheet

Measles leaflet

Early adolescence (9-14 years) is the optimal time for vaccination against HPV infection and it is estimated that if 90% of girls worldwide were vaccinated against HPV, more than 40 million lives could be saved over the next century. received vaccination. However, it is estimated that only 12% of girls worldwide received the vaccine in 2021.

Fact sheet on human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer

Overall, there are relatively fewer cases and deaths from COVID-19 disease among adolescents and young adults than among older adults. However, the pandemic has had serious indirect negative impacts on young people's well-being, including their mental health, loss of educational time due to school closures, social isolation, physical inactivity, malnutrition and domestic violence.

Approximately 12 million girls ages 15 to 19 and at least 777,000 girls under 15 give birth each year in developing regions. Complications during pregnancy and childbirth are among the leading causes of death for girls aged 15 to 19 worldwide.

The global adolescent birth rate in 2021 was 42 births per 1,000 girls of this age, and country rates range from 1 to over 200 births per 1,000 girls per year. This indicates a significant decline since 1990. This decline is reflected in a similar decline in maternal mortality rates for girls ages 15 to 19.

One of the specific goals of the Health Goal for Sustainable Development (SDG 3) is for the world to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health services, including family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs by 2030 .

Fact sheet on adolescent pregnancy

Many of the leading causes of death in adolescents and young adults are strongly linked to the environment, including accidental injuries and infectious diseases. Young people are at increased risk of environmental hazards and pollution due to their developmental physiology and immature systems. The major environmental hazards and pollutants affecting the health of adolescents and young adults include air pollution, chemicals and heavy metals, climate change, UV radiation, urban health and WASH.

WHO's work on children's environmental health

In 2016, more than one in six young people aged 10 to 19 years worldwide were overweight. Prevalence varied across WHO regions, ranging from less than 10% in the WHO Southeast Asia Region to over 30% in the WHO Americas Region.

Obesity and overweight fact sheet

Many boys and girls in developing countries enter puberty malnourished, making them more vulnerable to disease and early death.

Iron deficiency anemia was one of the leading causes of lost years of healthy life due to disability in adolescents aged 10 to 19 in 2021. Iron and folic acid supplements are a solution that also helps promote youth health. To prevent micronutrient deficiencies (including iron), regular deworming is recommended in areas where intestinal worms such as hookworm are common.

Malnutrition fact sheet

Healthy eating fact sheet