WHO study teens often in danger

Traffic accidents are the biggest threat to young people worldwide

05/14/2014

Worldwide, young people die most often from traffic accidents, followed by AIDS and suicide. This was the result of a study by the World Health Organization (WHO), which estimates that many young people could be saved through targeted measures. According to the report, 1.3 million young people died in 2012 alone - mostly due to preventable causes.

Many adolescents die from preventable causes of death
At today's presentation of the WHO report in Geneva, representatives of the organization called for targeted assistance and preventive measures to reduce the number of preventable deaths among adolescents. „The world has not yet paid enough attention to the health of adolescents”, said Deputy WHO Director-General, Flavia Bustreo. „We hope that this report will pay close attention to the health needs of tens to 19 year olds and serve as a springboard for the rapid adoption of measures to promote youth health.”

According to the WHO, many countries have a bias that young people rarely suffer from physical or mental illness. It is also widely believed that there are fewer health risks for adolescents apart from teenage pregnancies. These benefits must be eliminated urgently, according to the WHO. Bustreo therefore calls for more comprehensive medical care and especially for young people.

Traffic accidents, AIDS and suicide are the most common causes of death among young people worldwide
According to the WHO definition, people between the ages of ten and 19 are considered adolescents. According to the organization's report, most young people worldwide die from road accidents, followed by HIV and AIDS. The sad third place is suicide and self-injury. This is followed by respiratory diseases, violence, diarrhea, drowning, meningitis, epilepsy and hormonal blood and immune diseases. Most of these causes of death are preventable.

In traffic accidents, according to the report, three times more boys than girls. In young women, on the other hand, complications of pregnancy or childbirth are still common. In Asia and Africa, however, it had succeeded in significantly reducing mortality, the WHO said.

Obesity of adolescents can have serious health consequences in adulthood
Worldwide, 1.2 billion people are WHO by definition in adolescence. According to the report, there are dangers in this age group, in particular due to the abuse of alcohol as well as overweight and lack of fitness. To cause wrong nutrition in youth „destructive consequences for their health as adults”, said Jane Ferguson, a scientist at WHO. „At the same time, we must not relax our efforts to promote and protect the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents, including HIV. "

The report also points out that the problems of depression and anxiety are misjudged among young people in many countries. These are often triggers for suicide and could be treated with targeted measures. „Some studies show that half of all people with mental health problems had their first symptoms when they were about 14 years old”, the WHO experts write in their report.