Adolescence--a dynamic concept

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines adolescents as persons between 10 and 19 years of age. (WHO 1998) Although adolescents make up about 20 per cent of the world's population (of whom 85 per cent live in developing countries), they have traditionally been neglected as a distinct target group and subsumed under the promotion of family, women's and child welfare and health. This has at least partially been because adolescents were seen as a relatively healthy age group, one that did not have a heavy 'burden of disease', at least as compared with young infants or older adults. However, there is increasing recognition that adolescents have special health-related vulnerabilities. Among the major causes of morbidity and mortality in young people are suicide, road accidents, tobacco use and sexual and reproductive ill-health. (WHO 1998) Furthermore, adolescents are increasingly seen as 'gateways to health' because behavioural patterns acquired during this period tend to last throughout adult life--roughly 70 per cent of premature deaths among adults are due to behaviours initiated in adolescence. (WHO 1998) This paper describes the social, economic, cultural, legal and health issues which affect the experience of adolescence. It shows that while young people around the world may experience the same physical changes and sensations during adolescence, the manner in which these are interpreted and give rise to social and legal prescriptions varies tremendously.