Parents’ Awareness about Adolescent’s Health Needs and Problems

Abstract

Adolescents are the young people aged between 10 to 19 y. It is a transitional stage of physical, physiological and psychological development from puberty to legal adulthood. They are the future of the nation, forming a major demographic and economic force. They have specific needs which vary with gender, life circumstances and socio economic conditions. They face challenges like poverty, lack of access to health care services, unsafe environments etc. It is a period of preparation for undertaking greater responsibilities like familial, social, cultural and economic issues in adulthood (JClin Diagn Res, 2015). Adolescence years are difficult because the adolescents are in a phase of their lives when they are no longer children, but not yet adults. They start to go through many changes including behaviors, physical, cognitive, psychosocial, emotional, and attitude changes. These changes can be a cause of conflict on one hand and positive personality development on the other (Lin scheid, 2014). Without help, the consequences of health risk behaviors in adolescence can be life-threatening and life-long. Nearly two thirds of premature deaths and one third of the total disease burden in adults can be associated with conditions or behaviors that begin in youth. To protect and