Adolescent Health: Present Status and Its Related Programmes in India. Are We in the Right Direction?

Abstract

Adolescence is a phase of rapid growth and development during which physical, physiological and behavioural changes occur. They constitute more than 1.2 billion worldwide, and about 21% of Indian population. Morbidity and mortality occurring in this age group is mostly due to preventable causes. Young and growing children have poor knowledge and lack of awareness about physical and psychological changes that occurs during adolescence and the ill health affecting them. Existing Adolescent health programmes focus on rendering services like immunization, health education for sexual and reproductive health, nutritional education and supplementation, anemia control measures and counseling. Adolescent health programmes are fragmentary at present and there is no comprehensive programme addressing all the needs of adolescents. Access and availability of health care services are severely limited. Lack of accurate information, absence of proper guidance, parent's ignorance, lack of skills and insufficient services from health care delivery system are the major barriers. Interventions should focus on providing psychological and mental health services and behaviour change communication towards leading a healthy lifestyle, restricting advertisement related to junk food products, awareness creation about reproductive and sexual health, educating parents to prevent early marriage, teenage pregnancy and to counsel their children on nutrition and reproductive health. Universal coverage of Adolescent friendly clinics is highly recommended. To be cost effective, all health services addressing adolescent should come under single programme. This review is intended to create awareness among the stakeholders about the importance of strengthening adolescent health services in order to meet their felt needs.

Spectrum of reproductive health problems for which adolescent girls seek consultation in hospital based adolescent clinic

“…The National Family Health Survey I, II, and III data show a consistence rise in the percentage of first pregnancy among adolescents: 11.7%, 12.4% and 14.4% respectively. 10 Overall the spectrum of problems for which the adolescent girls seek consultation in hospitals is similar to that reported in other studies though the frequency of individual problems may vary due to geographical, cultural and ethnic reasons. 1,2,5,6 Many of the problems for which the adolescent seek consultation require counseling and advisory rather than pharmacologic treatment.…”

Knowledge and Behaviour about Adolescent Reproductive Health in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

“…The most appropriate person to answer the curiosity of adolescents on reproduction are the people closest to them, that is their parents and teacher. Parents were the people who should be most familiar with their children, what their [9], [27].…”

Study of the knowledge regarding reproductive health among the second PUC students from the colleges of Bangalore city

“…According to the National Family Health Survey-3 data, 2.7% boys and 8% girls in India reported sexual debut before the age of 15 years. 5 Reproductive health of adolescent girls is crucial since it determines the health of future generations to come. Major components of reproductive ill-health among them include the menstrual hygiene related problems, consequences of early marriage, unsafe abortions, high risk behavior, lack of awareness about contraception and reproductive health issues, RTIs/STIs including HIV/AIDS and non-consensual sex.…”