Platforms for Delivering Adolescent Health Actions

Authors: Susan Sawyer, Nicola Reavley, Chris Bonell, George Patton

Citation:

Abstract:

This chapter reviews the developmental context of adolescent health then categorizes countries according to their excess burden of disease, before describing six platforms that can deliver health actions to adolescents (ages 10–19 years)—health services, schools, media and social marketing, community, mobile health (m-health), and structural actions—discussing the rationale of these platforms for (1) delivering health treatments for established health issues, (2) responding to emerging needs, and (3) preventing future health problems, while emphasizing the importance of matching actions to health needs, responding to differences between and within countries, and aligning actions across platforms spanning different sectors, including health and education. Beyond financial resources, the extent to which these platforms can deliver necessary actions for adolescent health more often equals the sum of a country’s political and community support and technical capacity, including a trained workforce. Effective interventions will only achieve health outcomes if widely implemented, and this requires paying attention to local communities and cultures, necessitating the involvement of all stakeholders.