adolescence health issues and concernss

HEALTH CONCERNS IN ADOLESCENT

1. I N TRO D UCTION Adolescence (from Latin word adolescere, meaning "to grow up")is a transitional stage of physical and psychological human development that generally occurs during the period from puberty to legal adulthood (age of majority ).

2. INDIAN STATISTICS India has the largest population of adolescents in the world being home to 243 million individuals aged 10-19 years T he country's adolescents constituted 20 per cent of the world's 1.2 billion adolescents . Stating nine out of ten among the 1.2 billion adolescents live in the developing world E stimated 6.5 million adolescents, comprising 21.3 per cent of the state's population.

3. CHARACTERISTICS OF ADOLESC E NT • Adolescence is a time of rapid growth and inconsistent change that varies widely among individuals. In general, the approximate ages of 10 through 14 are characterized by: Physical growth and hormonal development: bone, muscle, brain, sexual characteristics, stature. A growing ability to use abstract thought. Social and emotional growth, including awareness of others, sense of fairness, social consciousness, sense of purpose, personal identity (who am I?), peer bonding, separation from family, and sudden, intense emotions.

4. PROBLEMS OF ADOLESCENTS IN INDIA Most problems of adolescence are due to failure in understanding the anatomical, morphological and psychological changes expected during adolescence. These mainly happens due to:- Misleading and misguiding parents, teachers, friends, brother/sisters. Ignorance of elders. Half - informed or ill - informed friends, brothers, sisters. Wrongful messages depicted through TV serials, advertisements, films Publications carrying partially or fully false information.

5. Such perceptions can be anything in the range of studies, sex, society, married life, career, religion, politics, or any relevant subject. Every adolescent boy or girl is prone to such exposures - which ultimately are retained as perceptions in their minds to form their behavioural patterns. Morphological / Developmental Problems • • • • • • • over growth of hair or undergrowth of hair over weight and underweight skin colour problems Facial deformities, pimples, etc. Limb deformities Abnormal growth of genitals and breasts. Psychological Problems

6. Misconceptions about sexual feelings, sex related issues. Attraction towards opposite sex. Exceptional vulnerability to suicide psychology . depression Social Anticipated unemployment and insecurity due to unemployment. Unwarranted and inexplicable hatredness towards brother / sisters, friends. Intense closeness with brothers / sisters, friends.

7. Unpredictable and volatile relationships with friends. Unrealistic social perceptions about violence, love, sex as influenced by media. Unusually vulnerable and volatile relations with relatives. Fear / imagination about married life, life partners. Educational…….. Tensions of attending the classes, examinations and tests. • • • • • • • Low IQ feeling. Fear about failure in examination. Fear about low score. Fear and concern about a future career. Misconceptions about teachers.

8. SUGGESTIONS Due to many problems faced during adolescence, the boys and girls of the age between 8 - 16 form a separate category by themselves. Their problems are specific to themselves. Most of the problems faced by them are perceptional. By timely and effective guidance - many of their problems could be solved. Some of them may need medical / psychiatric attention. In India, the parents influence their behaviour, thoughts and are in position to solve many problems - if they have positive approach. The indian children are closely related with family atmosphere and parents and teachers are able to correct them and guide them in the right way.

9. ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY IN INDIA New Delhi: Four million adolescent girls in India aged 15-19 years give birth every year in India, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).Every hour, three of seven deaths due to complications from pregnancy, child bearing and unsafe abortions occur among girls and women aged 15-24 years, the UNFPA report said. • Adolescent pregnancy continues to be an important social issue.

10. Adolescent pregnancy can be defined as „a teenaged or under aged girl, usually between age 13 to 19 years old, becoming pregnant‟ Teenage pregnancy is formally defined as a pregnancy in a young woman who has not reached her 20th birthday when the pregnancy ends, regardless of whether the woman is married or is legally an adult (age 14 to 21, depending on he country) •Teen pregnancy is usually understood to occur in a teenager who has not completed her core education-secondary school

11. CAUSES The ultimate „cause‟ of adolescent pregnancy is unprotected sex. A sexually active teenager who does not use contraception has a 90 percent chance of becoming pregnant within one year. Early dating behaviour. Adolescent sexual behaviour which may also influenced by alcohol and drugs. High-risk behaviours (smoking, alcohol and substance abuse.) Lack of a support group. Peer pressure to engage in sexual activity

12. AFTER EFFECTS Health-wise teenage mothers have a much higher risk for anemia, The major complications in young mothers are thought to be high blood pressure, iron deficiency, , disproportion and birth of low weight babies. Pregnancy at a very young age , especially an unwanted one , leads to severe emotional and mental trauma for the girl .

13. SUGGESTIONS TO TACKLE IT Parents ,schools ,social workers and healthcare professionals can have open, honest and educational talks with teenagers and preteens. Government should plan to make sex education compulsory at both primary and secondary school levels. Community-based and college-linked clinics can reduce pregnancy rates In conclusion, all parties including parents, school, social workers, government, as well as the individual should do their parts, in order to prevent adolescent pregnancy from becoming serious life and death issue.

14. CONCLUSION Adolescent problems are common to every country. But the way we tackle such problems from becoming more complicated is more important.An adolescent child is able to fall in a wrong path due to many misconceptions. And it’s the duty of the parents, teachers and elders to correct them and provide them with a healthy life. Youth is the best asset of our nation.and by making use of that wonderful power, INDIA can reach to SUPER POWER position. EVERY NEW BORN,ONCE WILL PASS THROUGH THIS STAGE AND IT CANNOT BE AVOIDED.