Adolescence represents a dynamic, developmental period of life. Young women make important choices about lifestyle behaviors, including diet; physical activity; sexual activity; and the use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs. All of these decisions can influence their health and well-being throughout adulthood.
The leading cause of death among adolescent girls is unintentional injury. Physical and sexual abuse are experienced by more than one in five high school-age girls, and the proportion of these girls who show signs of depression is one in four. Surveys indicate that 28 percent of high school girls think they are overweight, 60 percent report trying to lose weight, and 8 percent regularly binge and purge. An estimated 37 percent of teen girls smoked in the last month, 48 percent report frequent drinking, and 15 percent rarely or never use a seat belt.
Youth and young adults under the age of 24 comprise the least medically served age group in this country. An estimated one in seven adolescents ages 10 to 18 years and 27 percent of those ages 19 to 24 have no health insurance. Many more lack access to affordable, comprehensive, and confidential services that are targeted to their needs.
