More children born today will survive to adulthood than at any time in history. It is now time to emphasize health and development in middle childhood and adolescence--developmental phases that are critical to health in adulthood and the next generation. Child and Adolescent Health and Development explores the benefits that accrue from sustained and targeted interventions across the first two decades of life. The volume outlines the investment case for effective, costed, and scalable interventions for low-resource settings, emphasizing the cross-sectoral role of education. This evidence base can guide policy makers in prioritizing actions to promote survival, health, cognition, and physical growth throughout childhood and adolescence.

Covering social morbidities and mortalities of adolescents, including suicide, smoking, high risk sexual activity, eating disorders, mental health problems and interpersonal violence, this volume consolidates multiple theoretical perspectives.

This book covers the developmental and health problems unique to the adolescent period of life. It focuses on special needs and public health programs for adolescents. It offers deep insight into smoking, violence, teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, and other problems, along with intervention and prevention strategies. "Anyone serious about improving adolescent health should read this book. It spans theoretical and developmental constructs, summaries of evidence-based interventions for adolescent risk behaviors, metrics, and policy recommendations." —S. Jean Emans, MD, chief, Division of Adolescent Medicine, and Robert Masland Jr., chair, Adolescent Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston, and professor of pediatrics, Harvard Medical School "This is the one single text that students can use to study adolescent health. It includes contributions from many of the world's most accomplished researchers to provide learners with cutting edge information to make the study of adolescence understandable and applicable in practical settings." —Gary L. Hopkins, MD, DrPH, associate research professor and director, Center for Prevention Research, and director, Center for Media Impact Research, Andrews University "This textbook presents an excellent balance in weighing the evidence from the risk and the resilience literature, incorporating research in racially and ethnically diverse populations." —Renée R. Jenkins, MD, FAAP, professor, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Howard University College of Medicine "This is an engaging, thorough, and thought-provoking statement of our knowledge about adolescence. " —Wendy Baldwin, PhD, director, Poverty, Gender, and Youth Program, Population Council

This comprehensive reference uses an ecological perspective to sort out the complex mix of biological, psychological, social, and other factors influencing adolescent health as well as shaping professional responses to the needs of adolescents. Describing critical concerns at the global level and innovative strategies from selected countries, the book urges readers to develop and support practices and policies to enhance optimal youth development. Expert coverage centers on key areas: the global state of adolescent health and development, adolescent health issues and public health answers, making health systems more responsive to youth, and improving school health services. And bedrock themes such as social determinants of health, young people’s right to health care, and health and gender disparities are discussed throughout these chapters. Included among the topics: • The epidemiology of adolescent health • Adolescent sexual health and sexuality education • Restorative justice and the mental wellbeing of adolescents • Critical issues in adolescent nutrition: needs and recommendations • Towards an adolescent competent workforce • Pairing children with health services: the changing role of school health services in the 21st century The International Handbook on Adolescent Health and Development is essential to medical schools, public schools, and college libraries; teaching faculty; graduate and post-graduate students in public health, medicine, social work, other behavioral sciences and health disciplines (e.g., nursing, allied heath); as well as practitioners interested in better orienting their services to the health needs of adolescents.

Adolescence is a time of major transition, however, health care services in the United States today are not designed to help young people develop healthy routines, behaviors, and relationships that they can carry into their adult lives. While most adolescents at this stage of life are thriving, many of them have difficulty gaining access to necessary services; other engage in risky behaviors that can jeopardize their health during these formative years and also contribute to poor health outcomes in adulthood. Missed opportunities for disease prevention and health promotion are two major problematic features of our nation's health services system for adolescents. Recognizing that health care providers play an important role in fostering healthy behaviors among adolescents, Adolescent Health Services examines the health status of adolescents and reviews the separate and uncoordinated programs and services delivered in multiple public and private health care settings. The book provides guidance to administrators in public and private health care agencies, health care workers, guidance counselors, parents, school administrators, and policy makers on investing in, strengthening, and improving an integrated health system for adolescents.

Technology and Adolescent Health: In Schools and Beyond discusses how today's adolescents are digital natives, using technology at home and in school to access information, for entertainment, to socialize and do schoolwork. This book summarizes research on how technology use impacts adolescent mental health, sleep, physical activity and eating habits. In addition, it identifies monitoring and screening technology-based tools for use with adolescents.

Adolescence is a developmental period of accelerating physical, psychological, social! cultural, and cognitive development, often characterized by confronting and surmounting a myriad of challenges and establishing a sense of self-identity and autonomy. It is also, unfortunately, a period fraught with many threats to the health and well-being of adoles cents and with substantial consequent impairment and disability. Many of the adverse health consequences experienced by adolescents are, to a large extent, the result of their risk behaviors. Many adolescents today, and perhaps an increasing number in the future, are at risk for death, disease, and other adverse health outcomes that are not primarily biomedical in origin. In general, there has been a marked change in the causes of morbidity and mortality among adolescents. Previously, infectious diseases accounted for a dispro portionate share of adolescent morbidity and mortality. At present, however, the over whelming toll of adolescent morbidity and mortality is the result of lifestyle practices.