PHHE 295. Chapter 8. Adolescents, Young Adults, and Adults

PHHE 295

Chapter 8: Adolescents, Young Adults, and Adults

Chapter Objectives

·         Explain why it is important for community health workers to be aware of the different health concerns of the various age groups in the United States.

·         Define by age groups of adolescents and young adults and adults.

·         Briefly describe key demographic characteristics of adolescents and young adults.

·         Explain what the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System are and what type of data they generate.

·         Provide a brief behavioral risk profile for adolescents, college students, and adults.

·         Outline the health profiles for the various age groups—adolescents and young adults, and adults—listing the major causes of mortality, morbidity, and risk factors for each group.

·         Give examples of community health strategies for improving the health status of adolescents, young adults, and adults.

Key Terms

·         Adolescents and Young Adults: Those people who fall into the 15- to 24- year old age range.

·         Intensity: Cardiovascular workload measured by heart rate.

·         Body Mass Index: The ratio of weight to height.

·         Hypertension: Systolic pressure equal to or greater than 140mm of mercury and/or diastolic pressure equal to or greater than 9mm Hg for extended periods of time.

·         Hypercholesterolemia: High levels of cholesterol in the blood.

Chapter Summary

·         Adolescence and young adulthood and adulthood are the most productive periods of people’s lives. Although most people enjoy good health during these years, there is substantial room for improvement.

·         The overall health status of these age groups could be improved by reducing the prevalence of high-risk behaviors and by increasing participation in health screenings and institutionalizing preventative health care in our society.

·         Approximately 75% of adolescent and young adult mortality can be attributed to motor vehicle crashes, other unintentional injuries, homicide and legal intervention, and suicide.

·         Adolescents and young adults remain at considerable risk for STD morbidity.

·         College students put themselves at considerable risk through unprotected sexual activity and the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

·         Mortality rates for older adults have declined in recent years, but cancer is still the overall leading cause of death, followed by cardiovascular disease.

·         Reductions in deaths from cardiovascular diseases in adults have been substantial, but health problems resulting from unhealthy behaviors—such as smoking, poor diet and physical inactivity—can be reduced further if adults are willing to modify their behavior.

·         No matter how the health of adolescents and young adults and adults in the United States is broken down and described, it can be summarized by saying the health of Americans in these age groups has come a long way in the past 50 years, but there is still room for improvement.