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Adolescent Health
Adolescents face special health and safety issues that separate them from adults and children. The American Academy of Pediatrics defines an adolescent as someone between the as ages 11 to 21. Health issues facing adolescents include diet, exercise, sleep problems, sexual health, body image, sun safety, smoking, alcohol and/or drug use, stress, depression and anxiety, teen pregnancy, and acne. The informational web links contained on this Focus Page were selected to provide additional information on such issues to both adolescents and their parents.
Although adolescence is variously defined, the state of Arizona, for statistical purposes, considers adolescence as being between the ages of 15 and 19. According to 2005 census projections, Arizona has 431,964 adolescents who fall within this age bracket.1 In 2005, there were 346 reported adolescent deaths. Accidents are the most prevalent cause of adolescent deaths, followed by homicide, and then suicide. Females had a significantly lower death rate than their male counterparts.2
Driving is a major safety concern for teenagers. Teen drivers drive less than their adult counterparts, but are 4 times more likely to be involved in a crash. The crash rate for teen drivers peaks at 16, but still remains extremely elevated thereafter.3 Such high crash rates can be attributed to both teenagers’ driving inexperience and immaturity. In order to provide more protection to teen drivers, their passengers, and other drivers on the road, Arizona instituted a Graduated License program for drivers under the age of 18. Teenagers between the ages of 16 and 18 who have had an Arizona instructional permit for a minimum of five months and have completed an approved driver’s education program or have spent 20 daytime and 5 nighttime hours driving behind the wheel with a parent, are qualified to obtain a Class G Driver’s License. A Class G license allows the holder to drive any number of passengers at any time of the day without a licensed driver in the car.4
For other information, you may visit these sites: Access to Health Care and Insurance, Accidents and Injuries, Allergies/Asthma, Behavioral and Mental Health, Bites and Stings, Cancer, Desert Living, Diabetes, Environmental Health, Infectious Diseases, Nutrition and Diet, Poisoning, Violence, or Water Safety (Recreational).
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Links to Arizona Websites
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Links to National Websites
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