Teen Health Week℠

The transition from adolescence into early adulthood can be a scary period. It involves immense physical and psychological development and change.

Unfortunately, teenagers often don't have access to reliable information to help them address the challenges that come with going through puberty. In many cultures, sexuality remains a taboo subject and comprehensive educational materials can be inconsistent, putting teens at risk of misusing contraceptives, increasing their susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancies.

Eating healthy, exercising, and brushing your teeth are all effective ways to improve your nutrition and oral health. However, sometimes they're easier said than done.

For some, eating right is not the hard part, it’s having access to the right foods. Globally, many teens are food insecure and malnourished, placing them at risk of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Teens also battle unhealthy eating habits. Fast food and sugar sweetened beverages have not only been associated with adolescent obesity and heart disease, but with bad oral hygiene.

Dental issues can easily occur in teens who do not practice healthy eating habits and good oral hygiene.  

Preventive care is a critical aspect of overall health.

Regular health screenings, vaccinations, and other measures help identify early health issues and strengthen community health. Early care and preventative measures can be the key to reducing the risk of chronic conditions and long-term illnesses. However, millions of teens worldwide do not have access to proper healthcare, and preventive care is often inaccessible in places that lack adequate healthcare resources. 

We can work together to raise awareness and decrease the rates of disease and chronic illness through appropriate preventive care and vaccines, helping not just teen health but community health. 

Violence can take many forms: harassment, cyber bullying, school shootings, self harm, suicide.

These and others have an adverse effect on a person's mental health.  One in five teens have dealt with or will deal with a mental health issue. However, there are many obstacles to proper mental health treatment: social and cultural stigmas; lack of access to healthcare resources; fears of sharing issues with parents, teachers, and peers. Teen Health Week℠ seeks to raise awareness and address issues related to violence; encourage teens to take charge of their mental health; and empower young people to make a difference in their communities.

In years past, "Just Say No!" was the foundation for addressing substance use and misuse in teens.

However, effective substance management involves informing teens about their effects and risks. Frequently misused substances include marijuana, alcohol, prescription medication, cough medicine, and hallucinogens. Misuse can lead to addiction, resulting in other social and medical risks. 

April 9 and 10 are open for individual organizations to focus on other themes relevant to their audiences and communities.

While the five main themes of Teen Health Week℠ encompass many of the important issues facing teens today, they are only some of the ways teens can better take control of their health. We encourage local, state, and national organizations to develop programs and initiatives catered to the unique teen health issues facing their communities. 

• "It's Teen Health Week! These 14 Resources Can Help Young People Stay Healthy," Shatter Proof, April 6, 2020.

• "Just in time for Valentine's Day, teens get lessons on STDs and relationships at Philly's Mütter Museum," Philadelphia Inquirer, February 13, 2020.

• "Teen Health Center Hosts First Health Week," CBS 19 News, April 22, 2019.

• "Teen Health Week," WTVR, April 3, 2019.

• "UAB to host inaugural Birmingham Teen Health Week," UAB News, April 1, 2019.

• "Giving City: Symposium to Focus on Teen Health," Austin American Statesman, March 29, 2019.

• "Feds work with drugmakers to boost research into non-opioid painkillers, treatments," USA Today, March 21, 2018.