More than 3000 adolescents die every day from largely preventable causes, according to a new report from WHO and partners. Global accelerated action for the health of adolescents (AA-HA!): Guidance to support country implementation – assists governments in what to do – as well as how to do it – as they respond to the health needs of adolescents in their countries. Case studies show that what is being recommended actually can be done.

Selected risk factors for disease burdens have been studied by the 2013 Global Burden of Disease Study. For 10–14 year olds, unsafe water and sanitation and inadequate hand washing are among the leading health risk factors for both mortality and DALYs lost in both males and females. Other environmental factors (e.g. air pollution and lead exposure), iron-deficiency anaemia, high fasting plasma glucose, high blood pressure, alcohol use, childhood sexual abuse and unsafe sex also rank highly in this age group. Most of these conditions are also leading risk factors among 15–19 year olds.

However, the leading risk factors in this older age group also include risk behaviours, such as alcohol use, unsafe sex and, to a lesser extent, drug use. Other risk factors that are only leading risk factors among older adolescents are intimate partner violence and occupational hazards such as exposure to toxins or work-related injuries. It is important to remember that some types of risk or protective factors that may be very important, such as those related to family or school, were not included in the risk factors studied.

See chapters:
2.7. Mental health, substance use and self-harm p.30
3.7. Mental health, substance use and self-harm interventions p.62