More than 1.2 million adolescents across the world die every year from largely preventable causes, a World Health Organisation (WHO) report says today.
The report, Global Accelerated Action for the Health of Adolescents (AA-HA!): Guidance to Support Country Implementation, shows that in 2015, the biggest killer was from road injuries, with 115,302 fatalities, while lower respiratory infections claimed the lives of 72,655 10-19 year olds.
Self-harm was the third biggest cause of death at 67,149, while 63,575 died of diarrhoeal diseases. Drowning was the fifth biggest killer, with 57, 125 deaths.
More than two-thirds of all adolescent deaths in 2015 happened in low- and middle-income countries in Africa and South-East Asia.
WHO says that most of the deaths could be prevented with good health services, education and social support.
Dr Flavia Bustreo, assistant general-director WHO, said: “Adolescents have been entirely absent from national health plans for decades. Relatively small investments focused on adolescents now will not only result in healthy and empowered adults who thrive and contribute positively to their communities, but it will also result in healthier future generations, yielding enormous returns.”
The report also revealed differences in causes of death when the data was separated by age – 10-14 years and 15-19 – and by sex.
It showed that road injuries disproportionately affected boys, particularly older boys.
The leading cause of death for younger adolescent girls was lower respiratory infections, such as pneumonia, while for older girls the main cause of death was pregnancy complications, such as haemorrhage, sepsis, obstructed labour and complications from unsafe abortions.
Dr Anthony Costello, director of maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health at WHO, said: “Improving the way health systems serve adolescents is just one part of improving their health.
“Parents, families and communities are extremely important, as they have the greatest potential to positively influence adolescent behaviour and health.”
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