1.1 Introduction: why adolescent health?

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From the course by The University of Melbourne

Global Adolescent Health

36 оценки

The University of Melbourne

Global Adolescent Health

36 оценки

This course will explore the dynamic factors affecting the health and wellbeing of young people around the world, and how important it is for individuals, communities and nations that we improve the health and life chances of this important population group. With over 25% of the world’s population aged between 10 and 24 years, today’s generation of young people is the largest in human history. As the future leaders and drivers of growth, productivity and innovation, young people are our greatest assets, and investment in their health and wellbeing has social, economic and other benefits that continue across the lifespan and into the next generation. In this course we will adopt a life-course framework to take a holistic view of youth health and wellbeing. We will explore changing patterns of adolescent health and development, including why adolescence is starting earlier and ending later; how puberty and adolescent brain development may shape future health; and how what happens in adolescence can affect the start to life for the next generation. We’ll also look at the major health and social issues affecting young people and ways of addressing these through policy, practice and programming. COURSE FORMAT: This course comprises short video lectures and interviews, required and recommended readings, online discussion, quizzes and written assignments. There is no required text for this course and all readings are provided. DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS COURSE? No- you may access 100% of material in this course for free. You are also welcome to do as much or as little of the course as you like, including all (or none!) of the assessment tasks- it all depends on your learning goals. The option to pay for this course is there for those who wish to receive a Course Certificate as evidence of completion (which does require you to attempt and successfully pass the assessment tasks). WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR? This course will be relevant for anyone with an interest in the health and wellbeing of young people. You do not need to be of any particular personal or professional background to benefit from this course, but having some basic undergraduate study experience will be helpful to your learning (particularly if in a health related field). WHAT IS THE MOST INTERESTING THING I'LL LEARN IF I TAKE THIS COURSE? You’ll learn how so much of what happens during adolescence can impact not only the future health of individuals, but the health of the next generation as well. You’ll develop a greater understanding of the key factors impacting upon youth health and learn how to be a better advocate for the health and wellbeing of young people. View the MOOC promotional video here: http://tinyurl.com/z5l4mod

From the lesson

Week 1 - Introduction to adolescent health: developmental and ecological perspectives (Part I)

Welcome! Before getting started on this week’s content, be sure to review the materials under the ‘Introduction’ section below to help you get the most out of this course, whatever your learning goals may be. <br><br>This week we set the scene for adolescent health as a critical area of human health and development. We introduce the conceptual framework used throughout the course, which will assist greatly in building your learning across each week of material. We discuss different definitions of adolescence and young adulthood, and explore how the biological and social transitions associated with this period of life- and our understanding of them- have changed over time.

Week 1-2 Briefing with Susan Sawyer5:41

1.1 Introduction: why adolescent health?7:02

1.2 A conceptual framework for adolescent health14:42

1.3 Definitions of adolescence9:37

1.4 The changing shape of adolescence8:17

1.5 Puberty and adolescent growth6:27

1.6 Growth including brain development in adolescence7:21

1.7 Puberty and health: part I3:40

1.8 Puberty and health: part II7:26

1.9 Role transitions: marriage and parenthood7:21

1.10 Role transitions: contraceptives and condom use5:45

1.11 Role transitions: education and employment7:37

Interview with Dr Judith Diers (USA) 16:10

Meet the Instructors

Professor Susan Sawyer
Chair of Adolescent Health
Department of Paediatrics
Professor George Patton
Professorial Fellow
Adolescent Health Research

George and I are often asked, why focus on adolescent health?

Adolescents are healthy, aren't they?

And in any case, there's not much you can do with adolescents.

They're risk takers, they're difficult.

They don't listen to adults.

It's a whole lot simpler to just deal with things once they've grown up.

These sorts of attitudes are some of the reasons why globally,

adolescent health has not received the attention it deserves.

And why Richard Horton,

the editor of the Lancet Medical Journal, was able to say a couple of years ago

that adolescents are the most pervasively neglected group, in global health.

In saying this he recognised the importance of investing in adolescents.

This course is designed to provide answers to the question

of why adolescent health matters.

To outline new thinking about adolescence as a critical period

within the life course.

And to think about the sorts of investments and

actions that will promote the health of today's adolescents.

>> So, how do we think about health of adolescents?

It's certainly true that on some indicators adolescence is a healthy time.

Through much of human history there's been a low point in mortality across

the life course.

And adolescents are stronger, faster, fitter, and

smarter than at any other point in the life course.

But it's now clear that in many countries,

that the health burden across the life course is changing.

And that adolescents are affected by a unique

set of health problems that differs markedly from those of other ages.

Population health change is one reason.

Mortality rates have fallen sharply in younger children in high and

middle income countries compared to those in adolescents and young adults.

This figure shows estimates of all-cause mortalities,

that is death rates for 1 to 4 year olds from 1980 and 2013.

Over this 33 year period mortality in 1

to 4 year olds fell to around a quarter of the 1980 levels.

In contrast, while the mortality in 20 to 24 year olds has fallen,

this has been turning around 60% of 1980 levels.

As a result, mortality in males in a growing number of high and

middle income countries is now greater in older adolescence and

young adults than in one to four year olds.

There have been other shifts as well.

With the declines in many infectious diseases, and problems of early childhood,

the global focus has shifted to noncommunicable diseases.

From a life course perspective,

noncommunicable diseases that manifest later in life.

Are influenced by events, exposures and behaviours occurring in adolescence.

Cancer, diabetes and heart disease in adulthood

commonly stem from risks such as tobacco and alcohol use.

Physical inactivity, poor diet and obesity that begin in adolescence.

A broad range of health problems affect adolescents and young adults.

These include some that also occur at other times of life.

Including sexual and reproductive health problems and

HIV, infectious diseases and chronic physical health disorders.

But are there are a unique set of problems related to emotion and

emotional control that characterise adolescent health.

This is the age in which mental disorders commonly begin, and

have a greater impact during this time of life than at any other.

Problems with substance use typically emerge during the adolescent and

young adult years.

Injuries, both intentional and unintentional rise in these years.

Intentional injuries include the problems of suicide, and homicide.

And the onset of many health risks including those with sexual reproductive

health, are also related to emotion and emotional control.

>> So why does this matter?

There are a set of health problems, as George has outlined,

that affect adolescents, that we have largely neglected.

And that have not seen the gains that have occurred in other age groups.

These conditions are the focus of this course.

But adolescence also provides a foundation for health across the life course.

The social, cultural, emotional, educational, and economic foundations

established during adolescence, reaps benefits in the decades that follow.

Conversely, health risks that begin in adolescence amplify over time,

to have major consequences for later life.

You will gain an understanding of how this happens during this course.

And thirdly, often forgotten, adolescents are the next generation to parent.

Without good health, their capacity to successfully provide

a healthy start to life for the next generation is diminished.

Poor nutrition, mental health problems, substance use, and

infectious diseases, including HIV during adolescence and young adulthood.

Have the potential to compromise fetal development, but also can greatly

effect an individual's capacity to parent that child once it is born.

The global community is increasingly aware of the opportunities

of investing in adolescence, with some amazing developments in the past year.

The sustainable development goals cannot be achieved

without addressing adolescents.

And the new global strategy for women's, children's and adolescent's health is

the first global strategy to explicitly address adolescent health and well being.

Much of this course is informed by our work leading two previous series on

adolescent health for the Lancet Medical Journal in 2007, and 2012.

Together with some of the thinking that went into the recent Lancet Commission

on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing, published in May, 2016,

which we have made available to you online

together with the two previously Lancet series.

We think this is an incredibly exciting time to be learning

about adolescent health.

And we have every confidence,

by the end of this course you'll share our excitement.

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