2. Introduction
• Adolescents and young adults (15-24)
• Adolescence generally regarded as puberty to
maturity
• Adults (25-64)
• 15-64 some of the most productive, or most
productive, years of people’s lives
• Most enjoy the best health of their lives
• Shape health through lifestyle and health
behavior for later years
3. Adolescents and Young Adults
• Represent the future of the nation
• Adolescence is difficult stage; period of
transition from childhood to adulthood
• Comfort and security to complex and
challenging situations
• Young adults complete physical growth;
experience significant life changes
• Leave home, join military, begin careers, etc.
• Many health beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors
are adopted and consolidated
4. Demography
• Numbers
• Peaked in 1979 at 21% of population; now
~14%
• Living arrangements
• 1/3 live in single parent families
• Employment status
• Participation in labor force has remained fairly
constant in recent decades
• Disparities by race
5. Mortality
• Significant decline in death rates over past
several decades; mostly due to advances in
medicine and injury and disease prevention
• Male mortality rate higher than female
• Most threats stem from behavior rather than
disease
• Unintentional injuries (46.5%), homicide
(16%), suicide (12%)
7. Mortality
• 1/4 of all deaths in age group from motor
vehicle injuries; alcohol contributing factor
• Homicide and suicide rates up 200-300% over
last 50 years
• Significant racial disparities among race and
leading causes of death
8. Morbidity
• Communicable diseases
• Measles immunizations important
• Sexually transmitted diseases
• This age group acquires nearly half of all new
STDs in the U.S.
• Some effects can last a lifetime
9.
10. Health Behaviors and Lifestyle Choices of
High School Students
• Unintentional injuries
• Violence
• Tobacco use
• Alcohol and other drugs
• Sexual behaviors – unintended pregnancies
and STDs
• Physical activity
• Overweight and weight control
11. Health Behaviors and Lifestyle Choices of
College Students
• Unintentional injuries
• Violence
• Tobacco use
• Alcohol and other drugs
• Sexual behaviors – unintended pregnancies
and STDs
12. Community Health Strategies
• Main factors affecting community health with
age group are social and cultural factors and
community organizing
• Alcohol use a main problem
14. Health Profile
• Mortality
• mainly from chronic diseases
• Many associated with unhealthy behaviors and
poor lifestyle choices
• Lifestyle improvements and public health
advances have led to decline in death rate for
adults
16. Cancer
• #1 cause of death for adult age group in recent
decades
• Males – prostate, lung, and colorectal
• Females – breast, lung, and colorectal
17. Cardiovascular Disease
• Age-adjusted mortality rates dropped over past
60 years
• Mainly due to public health efforts related to
smoking cessation, increased physical activity,
and nutrition
18. Health Behaviors and Lifestyle Choices
• Risk factors for chronic disease
• Most significant for adults – smoking, lack of
exercise, BMI, alcohol
• Risk factors for personal injury
• Motor vehicle safety – seatbelts and alcohol
use
• Awareness and screening of certain conditions
• Hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol
20. Community Health Strategies
• Emphasis on individual responsibility for
health
• Primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention
efforts for adults
• Primary – exercise and nutrition programs
• Secondary – self and clinical screenings to
identify and control disease processes
• Tertiary – medication compliance
21. Discussion Questions
• Why are lifestyle and health behaviors
significant for the adult age group compared to
other age groups?
• How can community health efforts affect
leading causes of death for the adolescent and
young adult age group?
